Like a Tsunami, But Much Slower

(Photo from Reuters via Time)

Growing up in the Islands, schoolchildren learn the basics about Hawaiian volcanoes, like how they aren't explosive like Vesuvius because Hawaiian lava has low viscosity, and how to distinguish between aa and pahoehoe rocks.

Lava flows are slow-moving, but they are one of the unstoppable forces of nature. Older generations (ahem) worried about Mauna Loa, which destroyed Ho`okena-mauka village in 1950. Recently it has been Kilauea's turn. Lava from Kilauea crater buried much of Kalapana in 1986 and now threatens Pahoa.

The Big Island is one of our favorite Neighbor Islands, but we're not tempted to retire there because of respiratory problems from the vog. As the residents of Pahoa are discovering, active volcanoes are fascinating to visit, but it's unwise to live next to them. © 2014 Stephen Yuen