National Guard troops deployed as lava approaches Pahoa, Hawaii

More than 80 National Guard troops were deployed to Pahoa, Hawaii, on Thursday as a river of lava from the Kilauea volcano continued its slow advance toward the small town.

The troops are assisting local police with security patrols of five neighborhoods that have been evacuated because they are in the lava’s path, said Maj. Jeff Hickman of the Hawaii National Guard. Many local residents are afraid looters will target the abandoned homes, Hickman said.

The slowly moving strip of lava was about 480 feet from Pahoa Village Road, the town’s main street, Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said at a morning news conference.

“You can see lava flowing and the smoke rising,” Hickman said. “There is a lot of curiosity and a lot nervousness.”
The lava has crept slowly toward the rural village, incinerating parts of a cemetery and a shed this week. It has not yet reached a dirt embankment one property owner had built around his lot, he said.

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