Residents living in the flow path of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano may soon have to evacuate and have been placed on alert.
The lava flow has advanced about 250 yards since Saturday morning, according to authorities, and is currently moving at about 10-15 yards an hour, consistent with earlier flow movement.
Lava flow from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is quickly advancing on the remote town of Pahoa in the Puna district of the Big Island. By Saturday afternoon, the lava flow had crossed Apa'a Street, and by Sunday, the front moved through a predominantly Buddhist cemetery. The flow front is only a half-mile from Pahoa's main street, Pahoa Village Road.
(MORE: Explosion at Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Caught on Camera)
Darryl Oliveira, director of civil defense for Hawaii County, told reporters during a late Sunday morning teleconference that the nearest home was at least 300 yards from the flow front. He planned to get better coordinates during a flight later in the day.
Residents in the nearest home said they could see the flow front from their balcony and were prepared to evacuate when the time came, Oliveira said.
Residents in the flow path have been told to complete all necessary preparations by Tuesday for a possible evacuation. The timeline could change, based on the flow rate.
Oliveira estimated there were at least 50 to 60 structures, including homes and businesses, in the area most likely to be impacted.
Authorities went door-to-door, notifying residents Saturday of the need to be ready to evacuate. The vast majority of residents contacted had identified places where they could go, with "less than a handful" saying they may need to go to a shelter, he said.
(MORE: Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano: Don't Underestimate Its Explosive Power)
As the lava moved through the cemetery, Oliveira said a monument was visible, protruding through the molten mass.
Kilauea volcano has been erupting continuously since 1983. Most lava from this eruption has flowed south. But the lava has flowed to the northeast over the past two years.
The current flow that has been threatening Pahoa began in June. It's been moving toward town in fits and starts for weeks, speeding up and then slowing down.
Janet Babb, a geologist and spokeswoman for the observatory, said methane explosions also have been going off. She said decomposing vegetation produces methane gas that can travel subsurface beyond the lava front in different directions, accumulating in pockets that can ignite. She said it was a bit unnerving to hear all the blasts on Saturday.
One passed near where she and others were standing.
"At the time that it happened, it was such a rumble I thought it was thunder and that we were about to be struck by lightning," she said.