Lava enters vacant lots in Big Island subdivision

PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — Lava has begun moving over a vacant lot in a rural subdivision on Hawaii’s Big Island.

The lots in the Kaohe (cah-OH’-hay) Homesteads subdivision that are closest to the lava are vacant, and officials say no homes are in imminent danger.

Hawaii County spokesman Kevin Dayton says lava from Kilauea (kih-luh-WAY’-uh) has slowed and there are no evacuations ordered.

Meanwhile, work continues to prepare unpaved, defunct roads to be used as alternate routes if lava reaches a major highway. Officials say that could happen within weeks.

Hawaii Volcano Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb says the speed of lava depends on the supply of magma and what’s going on inside the volcano.

Observatory scientists flew over the flow Monday and said lava is about 3 miles from the highway.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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