Scientists tracking new Kilauea lava flow (Honolulu, Hawaiian Paradise Park: elementary school, vs, deals)

[Mark.ca]

Does Mr. Lee have a plan in case the flow gets diverted by his berm towards the neighbors house to the left (north)? It is easy to see he will be liable for damages, wonder if he realizes that. What's next?....build another berm to divert from that house...and so on until you hit the ocean? No easy way out...

[OpenD]

Civil Defense alert for Sunday 11/2 - The flow front is still stalled, with breakouts on the sides

Eruption Information Update For Sunday November 2nd At 7:45AM.

This is an eruption and lava flow Information Update for Sunday November 2nd at 7:45AM

This morning’s assessment shows that the flow front remains active however has not advanced since yesterday. All activity along the front has been limited to breakouts along the margins or sides of the flow as well as on the flow surface. The front remains approximately 480 feet from the Pahoa Village Road. Additional breakouts upslope of the flow front are being monitored and those breakouts currently do not present with an immediate threat to area residents.

Smoke conditions are light to moderate with light trade winds from the northeast pushing the smoke in a south southwest direction. Smoke conditions may increase in some areas and residents down wind that may be sensitive or have respiratory problems are advised to take necessary precautions and to remain indoors.

Based on the current flow location, direction and advancement, residents in the flow path were placed on an evacuation advisory and notified of possible need for evacuation. The evacuation advisory for those residents down slope of the flow will continue and residents will be kept informed of the flow status and advancement.

The Pahoa Village Road between Apa’a Street and the Post Office Road will remain closed and limited to area residents only. In addition, Civil Defense and public safety personnel will be operating in the area round the clock to maintain close observations of flow activity.

County of Hawaii - Civil Defense Alerts and Information

[Mattks]

Originally Posted by Mark.ca

Does Mr. Lee have a plan in case the flow gets diverted by his berm towards the neighbors house to the left (north)? It is easy to see he will be liable for damages, wonder if he realizes that. What's next?....build another berm to divert from that house...and so on until you hit the ocean? No easy way out...

From one article I read it said he got his neighbors permissions before building the berm, I don't know if that would stop his legal liability. Also, whose to say it wouldn't go to the neighbors anyway. I see it being a tough legal battle, but he evidently thought it was worth it. I for one applaud his efforts, if I was him and had the means I would do the same thing.

Maybe I don't understand the full power and force being the lava flow, but I don't see why they don't try to divert it more. That gully had a huge effect on the flow, why not build a channel so that it can pass through Pahoa. Again, I'm no expert, but I'm sure many have thought the same.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Mattks

From one article I read it said he got his neighbors permissions before building the berm, I don't know if that would stop his legal liability.

As I read the story, he told them what he was doing and they say "Well, do what you have to do." I'm not a real Jonah K, I just play them in on stage, but I don't think that constitutes either "getting permission" on his part or a waiver of liability on their part..

Also, whose to say it wouldn't go to the neighbors anyway. I see it being a tough legal battle, but he evidently thought it was worth it. I for one applaud his efforts, if I was him and had the means I would do the same thing.

Sure, if nobody interefered it's "an act of God," but if someone redirects the flow, it could be said they caused whatever damage was caused as a result of the diversion. I don't think Mr. Lee thought much about the finer aspects of liability, he just followed a gut instinct to protect his own property. Ironically, if his redirect caused major damage elsewhere he could wind up protecting his house from the lava but losing it to the lawsuits as a result.

Maybe I don't understand the full power and force being the lava flow, but I don't see why they don't try to divert it more.

To understand it better, watch some of the videos and reflect on the fact that the lava is incredibly heavy, incredibly hot molten basaltic rock, at something like 1600-2000 degrees F, and it is flowing downhill under the force of gravity, often through hidden cracks and subtle low points in the ground which have not been mapped since 1983. What can stop that?

That gully had a huge effect on the flow, why not build a channel so that it can pass through Pahoa. Again, I'm no expert, but I'm sure many have thought the same.

Any guesses about where it is going next are just guesses. And now it is on private property, so authorities cannot just go dig a ditch. It's not like chopping a firebreak in vegetation where it can grow back. If there had ever been a clearly successful effort to divert previous lava flows from this eruption, they'd already have tried it in this one.

[OpenD]

From HVO, on a sleepy Sunday 11/2, here's a dramatic photo of one of the active breakouts, about 200 yards behind the stalled front.



HVO Photos & Video

[OpenD]

Civil Defense alert for Monday morning 11/3 - for another day there's no movement at the front, but activity on the flanks.

Eruption Information Update For Monday, November 3rd At 8:15AM.

This is a civil defense message.

This is an eruption and lava flow Information Update for Monday, November 3rd at 8:15AM

This morning’s assessment shows that the flow front remains active however has not advanced since Thursday. All activity along the front has been limited to breakouts along the margins or sides of the flow as well as on the flow surface. The front remains approximately 480 feet from the Pahoa Village Road. Additional breakouts upslope of the flow front are being monitored and those breakouts currently do not present with an immediate threat to area residents.

Smoke conditions were light to moderate with moderate trade winds from the northeast pushing the smoke in a south southwest direction. Smoke conditions may increase in some areas and residents down wind that may be sensitive or have respiratory problems are advised to take necessary precautions and to remain indoors.

Based on the current flow location, direction and advancement, residents in the flow path were placed on an evacuation advisory and notified of possible need for evacuation. The evacuation advisory for those residents down slope of the flow will continue and residents will be kept informed of the flow status and advancement.

The Pahoa Village Road between Apa’a Street and the Post Office Road will remain closed and limited to area residents only. In addition, Civil Defense and public safety personnel will be operating in the area round the clock to maintain close observations of flow activity.

http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts/

[OpenD]

Kilauea Status report for Monday 11/3 - My guess from this info about the inflation up top is that another flurry of activity at the front is coming soon.

Activity Summary: Kīlauea volcano continued to erupt at its summit and within its East Rift Zone, and gas emissions remained elevated. As of Monday morning, the leading edge of the June 27th lava flow had not advanced beyond where it stalled late last week, in a residential area approximately 155 meters (170 yards) above Pāhoa Village Road. Activity behind the lava flow's leading edge, within the flow's interior and along its side margins, continued with localized breakouts of molten lava. Gradual inflation was recorded by the tiltmeters at Kīlauea's summit. The level of the summit lava lake at Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, as reflected in web cam images, has also risen since Sunday.

HVO Kilauea Status

[MKWC]

Originally Posted by Mattks

Maybe I don't understand the full power and force being the lava flow, but I don't see why they don't try to divert it more. That gully had a huge effect on the flow, why not build a channel so that it can pass through Pahoa. Again, I'm no expert, but I'm sure many have thought the same.

It is a bit of a long read, but see how previous attempts at building a barrier has failed.

The 1960 Kapoho Eruption of Kilauea Volcano, 1960, Hawai`i

Basically, you have ~13 miles (I can't recall the specific) of pressure going up against a berm. As County pictures have shown, the flow is already piled up higher than the berm, despite not contacting the berm. All that needs to happen is one of two things:

1) The flow pushes forward and tops over the berm;

2) The flow pushes forward against the berm and rather than forcing the flow to move right or left, the back-pressure of the flow undermines the berm.

While I do have some cultural concerns about not accepting that Pele will go where she wants, Mr. Lee is to be commended for at least trying though I do think that his efforts are futile - especially since he has no insurance - and the money would have been better spent on moving forward.

[McFrostyJ]

It looks like the lava has now touched at least the bottom of the berm on the right side of this picture or is very close.

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Here is the latest from Hawaii New Now.
Officials: Berm not to blame for Puna lava flow stalling or wide - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

[OpenD]

Good one J!

There was a small berm there last week, it's much bigger now, and it seems more likely to do something since it is angled to redirect the flow rather than trying to stop it.

Meanwhile I can't help but notice that about 1/2 of the big black shade-cloth covered growing area is now gone. It seems like maybe the berm building activity is partly responsible, but it also seems the lava is pushing hard up against it, so I dunno.

Funny, I haven't run across any references to that change as of yet. On the other hand, I'm sure a lot of those folks on the ground, and with Ciivil Defense and HVO and the press and all were have to take advantage of the lull to get in some rest breaks.