13 More Homes Destroyed by Kilauea Lava

A moving furnace of molten rock from Kilauea Volcano slid through a coastal subdivision Friday, destroying 13 homes and forcing about 400 people to evacuate.

“We just lost 10 homes. It’s just going right through the subdivision. A lot of other homes are in danger and we fear that more will be lost,” said Harry Kim, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator.

A few hours later, three more homes in the 100-house subdivision were destroyed, bringing to 26 the number of homes destroyed since the flow began reaching the Kalapana area on Nov. 26.

Covers 200 Feet an Hour

The molten rock, which burns and crushes everything in its path, was moving forward in surges, covering 200 to 300 feet an hour, Kim said.

Hawaii County Mayor Dante Carpenter estimated losses at about $5 million.

The flows are being fed by a vent eight miles away in Kilauea’s east rift zone, where 2,000-degree magma is pouring out of the ground.

The activity has been constant since July 18, but it was not until late last month that any of the flows reached a populated area.

Evacuation of 58 homes was ordered Thursday night as the 450-foot-wide leading edge of the flow crossed the two-lane Kalapana Highway and entered the Kalapana Gardens subdivision.