JavaScript is off. Please enable to view full site.

Hawaii island declares emergency over volcano threat

Hawaii island declares emergency over volcano threat

Saturday, September 06, 2014, 08:20 GMT+7

Hawaii's Big Island has declared a state of emergency as lava from an active volcano threatens nearby homes, which could be evacuated within days, officials and reports said Friday.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi signed a proclamation Thursday after the lava flow from the Kilauea volcano advanced to within a mile of a residential area known as the Ka'ohe Homesteads.

"We are taking this step to ensure our residents have time to prepare their families, their pets, and their livestock for a safe and orderly evacuation from Ka'ohe in the event the flow continues to advance," Kenoi said.

The emergency proclamation lets authorities close roads to non-residents, to make it easier for people who live there to evacuate rapidly if necessary, said Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira.

No evacuation has yet been ordered, but residents are being urged to "finalize their evacuation plans and monitor county Civil Defense updates closely in the days ahead," said a statement from the mayor's office.

According to the Honolulu Star newspaper, the lava flow could reach houses within days, possibly a week.

Hawaii Island, or the Big Island, is the largest of the eight main islands which make up the Pacific US state -- an archipelago that includes hundreds of smaller volcanic islands.

AFP

More

Read more

;

VIDEOS

‘Taste of Australia’ gala dinner held in Ho Chi Minh City after 2-year hiatus

Taste of Australia Gala Reception has returned to the Park Hyatt Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Vietnamese woman gives unconditional love to hundreds of adopted children

Despite her own immense hardship, she has taken in and cared for hundreds of orphans over the past three decades.

Latest news