09-21-2014, 04:48 AM
quote:
Originally posted by freespirit
quote:
Originally posted by csgray
[quote]Originally posted by geochem
[quote]Originally posted by SBango
Let's not rebuild Hilo after a lava flow from Mauna Loa wipes it out either. Good thinking.
All those resorts in Kona are downhill from Holualoa, which is way overdue and will be a FAST flow when it finally opens up, some thing with Mauna Loa for South Kona. They have the illusion of being any safer than Puna from volcanic activity, and they will have far less warning of the danger, due to the steepness of the terrain.
If a lava flow ever endangers Hilo or Kona the state will try and divert the flow in any means possible. Even with the cultutal beliefs of Pele they would still try and divert. Pahoa and lower Puna was not worth saving as much as the larger towns would be. Just my opinion is all I could be wrong and I mean no disrespect to cultural beliefs or to "Pele". In the end it seems to be all about the money.
Just so I can respond to both comments at the same time:
csgray: it's Hualalai; it's not overdue for an eruption - it erupts quite infrequently (on the human time scale) and, while it is true that the last eruption produced quite fluid lavas, that has by no means been it's "typical" eruptive style. Mauna Loa is the far greater threat on the Kona side - where the equally ill-conceived subdivision HOVE was permitted and where I would likewise recommend minimum efforts to rebuild and restore. The only saving grace there is that most of South Kona is still relatively sparsely populated and used for agriculture - although the disruption of a lava flow cutting the Mamalahoa Hwy will be at least as great, if not greater, than lava cutting Hwy 130.
freespirit: If Hilo or Kailua Kona are threatened by lava flows, the only effort at diversion might be for protection of essential facilities - Hilo Hospital, for example. Aside from those, lava will be allowed to go where it will - there is a Lava Flow Mitigation Plan, developed some years ago, that has stated that policy.