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+--- Thread: When will government respond to lava flow? (/showthread.php?tid=13389)
When will government respond to lava flow? - bigseaal - 03-24-2014
How close to 130 before there is a major response to divert or evacuate?
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - PaulW - 03-24-2014
A few years to go yet!
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - bigseaal - 03-24-2014
HVO has already plotted out the flow at some expense. There must be some response being plotted!
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - Carey - 03-24-2014
The volcano talks given by the HVO geologist cover the answers from the past...
Frank Trusdell will be giving a presentation on the Mauna Loa Eruptive History & Current Status on Tuesday March 25 (tomorrow) 7pm up at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Visitors Center...
I am pretty sure that many of your questions on the county response to the current eruptive event will be similar (albeit slower due to the relaxed pace of the current lava flow)
From what I gather from past presentations & the flows that have hit Kalapana homes since we have been here:
response to divert - will probably not happen, as efforts tried in the past have not worked
response to evacuate - will be hours to day prior to lava inundation on a residence....unless this flow changes drastically it will be many months before anyone is in danger.
In the past, it has been the sole responsibility of the homeowner to protect their home/property asset... and some have even moved their homes with less than a days notice, but many cede their property to pele.
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - bigseaal - 03-24-2014
So lower Puna would be sacrificed but not Hilo?
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - TomK - 03-24-2014
Carey, fair points, but the situation might be a little different with the current flow compared to the events your refer to in the past. Assuming the flow continues and even though it might be a long time before it reaches Hwy 130, we could be looking at the highway being cut off somewhere between Pahoa and HPP, so a huge area and population will (might) be affected. So I would hope, but don't assume, that some planning for this possible eventuality is being given some thought.
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - Carey - 03-24-2014
in the past Mauna Loa has cut off the belt way & all down the Kalapana to Kapoho area the roads have been cut off, diversions have been tried on many of them, but not worked...
In regard to Puna vs Hilo??? best to check the LAST Mauna Loa flow.... that was heading straight to Hilo! with far more volume (Add: & less time) than this current eruptive event...
Some of the most interesting info is what happened in the 1950 Mauna Loa flow... Important to realize that for the whole island there are some very serious issues if this lava flow does continue to 130.... but that will not change the most likely response to diversion & evacuation....
ADD2: also remember the longer this flow continues, the more likely the chain of craters can be worked on....but there is no reason at all to rush and do that at this point as there is no imminent need & the likely change of flow characteristics prior to the need...but I am sure that is one of the easiest alternatives, given adequate time to stabilize...
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - TomK - 03-24-2014
Well, personally, I'm hoping that if Hwy 130 does get cut off, we don't hear a few days beforehand that "Well, he were waiting to see what might happen with the flow before planning anything". From what I understand, the 1950 Mauna Loa flow certainly blocked the highway but didn't actually block access to services to a large population.
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - Wao nahele kane - 03-24-2014
According to what I read a while back, the cycle of county response was established back in 1970's. With regard to lava, HVO will notify the County and this has already occurred. The county and HVO will continue to monitor the situation. When it appears to be a likely issue that needs action, the county will conduct a public announcement campaign and shortly thereafter the Civil defense will conduct public meetings on the matter. During that time tentative plans will be shared that are dependent upon the actual conditions. This is when we'll find out about alternative road cuts if any and the meetings will probably become an ongoing event should we have to endure a flow that reaches the pacific though our area.
Depending on the circumstances, they may or may not attempt to save homes. I'd imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to divert the lava flow parallel to Ainaloa through the vacant land masses along the South. They may end up cutting trenches, building berms and using water to direct the flow. Each time they have a go at it, they learn something new, maybe this time they'll master the art of directing the flow... who knows. I highly doubt they will simply do nothing at all and let it flow where it might should it threaten homes. Allowing it to cut through Ainaloa is a sure bet scenario it ends up in HPP also... if they get a handle on it early enough they could direct it all the way through the more unpopulated areas of the flood basin.
RE: When will government respond to lava flow? - Carey - 03-24-2014
Did anyone commenting here actually go to any of the Civil Defense meetings that were held in 2007, when lava pooled near this current flow (that was a faster occurrence & had more volume/time)
Here are some of the threads from the last time Pele was heading towards 130 (2007):
http://punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3395
http://punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3897
http://punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3728
If you missed or would like to review the recent Volcano Awareness talk by HVO geologists, they have the videos of them on this link:
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/
ADD: Even more important (at least in 1950) was the interruption of the communication & power lines....They were grid tied (electric still is) and the interruption of trunk lines adjacent to the beltway effected the whole island