EXCLUSIVE new footage of the #PunaLavaFlow from our flyover with Paradise Helicopters. Hawai‘i Co. Civil Defense officials have ordered an evacuation for residents downslope. Theyre told they need to be prepared to leave by Tuesday. The flow crossed Apa‘a Street just south of the Pāhoa Transfer Station. Officials say it happened just before 4 a.m. Saturday and its continuing to move at a rate of about 10 yards per hour as it crosses through an open field, heading toward the Japanese cemetery in Pāhoa. HELCO crews are on the scenes monitoring their infrastructure and it appears the experimental heat-protecting design (which consists of concrete culverts that were cut to wrap around the pole and were then filled with cinder and covered with wire mesh to provide insulation so the heat would not penetrate and affect the poles themselves) has worked as no outages have yet been reported for the area and the lava did not take down the pole it came in contact with. The flow is now estimated to be about 80 yards wide. Hawai‘i Co. Civil Defense officials issued the following advisory -- This morning’s assessment shows that the flow has advanced approximately 300 yards since yesterday. Smoke from the burning asphalt is not affecting area communities at this time however residents are advised that conditions could change with the varying winds. Civil Defense and Public Safety personnel will be conducting door to door notifications of residents in the down slope areas of Pahoa Village to insure residents are aware of current activities. Based on the current flow location, direction and advancement, residents in the flow path will be placed on an evacuation notice. The evacuation notice means residents in the flow path areas should prepare for possible evacuation in the next three to five days. Those area residents will be kept informed of the flow movement and are asked to complete all necessary preparations for a possible evacuation by Tuesday October 28th. Apa’a Street and Cemetery Road will remain closed between the Pahoa Transfer Station and the Kaohe Homesteads Road. In addition, Civil Defense and public safety personnel will be operating in the area round the clock to maintain close observations of flow activity. Additional updates will be broadcasted as conditions change. More details as soon as they become available on Hawaii News Now #MalamaPono
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 20:34:43 +0000
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