Anxious residents fill lava meeting

PAHOA, HAWAII »It was the question on everyone’s mind Tuesday: Where will the lava go next?

Puna residents flooded into the Pahoa High School cafeteria about 6:30 Tuesday night for the latest lava flow update.

With news that the lava is continuing to advance east, toward homes in Puna, some attendees’ brows were furrowed while others were more or less at ease.

"If you got to move, you’ve got to move," said Jerry Konanui, a Hawaii island resident who owns land in the Kaohe Homesteads subdivision where the so-called June 27th flow continues to creep toward.

Others, however, weren’t as optimistic.

"There’s definitely some anxiety because it’s so close and it’s never come down to this area before," said lifelong Puna resident Julie Naiga. "Now is the time to keep praying and hope for the best."

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist-in-charge Jim Kauahikaua and Hawaii County Civil Defense chief Daryl Oliveira provided the packed house with the latest updates on the position of the flow.

As of Tuesday, the lava had dropped into a deep crack in the East Rift Zone about 7.8 miles from the vent and 1.2 miles from the eastern boundary of the Wao Kele O Puna Forest Reserve.

Kauahikaua explained the lava is traveling in the crack, and that steam rising from the crack was about 8 miles from the vent and 1.1 miles from the Kaohe Homesteads area.

The lava is advancing at about 800 feet per day, Kauahikaua said.

Both officials took questions from the public after the update. Some questions were focused on how prepared the county is to deal with evacuation of area schools and what will happen if Hawaiian Electric Co. infrastructure is destroyed. Oliveira assured the public that the county is working with both the state Department of Education and HECO on precautionary measures.

Not everyone present was as anxious about the lava’s advancements. Karl Kirkendall, a 40-year resident of Kaohe Homesteads, said he thinks he’ll be given enough time to move if it comes his way.

"When I see flames coming out my kitchen window, then I’ll run," he said. "She’s going to do what she’s going to do."

The next community meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pahoa High School cafeteria.