Hawaii Volcano 2014 Eruption & Update: Hundreds Evacuate as Lava Flow Continues

Many residents of Pahoa, Hawaii have fled their homes due to the dangers posed by the lava flows from the Kilauea Volcano.

CNN said in a news report citing data from the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency that the lava that came from the volcano is now just around "70 yards from the closest home." It added that the lava flow has already slowed down, moving about five yards per hour.

The report from CNN also confirmed this saying that workers from the civil defense agency rounded all the houses informing them of the imminent danger and urging them to leave their houses should it be too dangerous. 

Hawaii County Civil Defense worker Franchesca Martin-Howe was quoted in the CNN report saying that "there's only a few people left." She claimed that most residents have already evacuated.  

This is a recent development considering earlier reports from Reuters saying that the lava flow is just 100 yards from the nearest house. Reuters also said earlier that the lava has flowed 275 yards since Sunday. It was earlier said that the lava flows at least 10 yards to 15 yards per hour.

However, the Associated Press said that lava flow is somewhat inconsistent as there were times that it moves at two yards per hour. Sometimes, it surges to 20 yards per hour. This was revealed by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb, who claimed that the flow depends on the topography.

Residents in the area have earlier been informed about the dangers of staying at home so they have been urged to prepare for evacuation, Reuters said. The volcano started bubbling out lava flow on late June but it stopped in September. It only resumed weeks ago and is now aiming at the village of Pahoa, which Reuters described as "a historic former sugar plantation consisting of small shops and homes with a population of about 800 people."

According to the Associated Press, lava has already passed over Apaa Street in Pahoa. AP noted that scientists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory are monitoring developments. As of 11 a.m. Monday, "the flow front was 580 yards from Pahoa Village Road," AP said. Roads in the Apaa Street have already been closed, AP added.

According to AP, it is still unknown when the lava flow would stop or if it would change its course or how much damage it would cause. In the past, lava flows from the Kilauea volcano damaged at least 200 homes. In 2011, lava flows also damaged one home and caused the evacuation of many residents.

AP also reported that the Kilauea volcano is the "youngest volcano on Hawaii Island," citing the U.S. Geological Survey. It was also learned that it first erupted between 300,000 and 600,000 years ago.