Los Angeles - SPA
Lava from the Kilauea volcano that has been threatening a residential area on Hawaii's Big Island stopped making progress Friday, according to US Geological Service.
As of Friday morning, the leading edge of the lava flow stalled in a residential area approximately 155 meters above a road to the town of Pahoa in a rural region on the Big Island, USGS said, adding that some smaller breakouts of lava behind the leading edge remain active.
Many local residents already have evacuated, and they were worried that looter might target their homes, dpa reported.
In response the National Guard deployed 83 troops to Pahoa to provide security to residents, according to news reports.
The road that the lava is encroaching on is one of the streets residents would use to evacuate the village, if that becomes necessary. An evacuation advisory has been issued for some residents. A few roads in the village already had been closed.
The lava has been flowing since an eruption on June 27. The Kilauea volcano has been active since a fissure eruption on in January 1983. It attracts tourists who travel to Hawaii to watch red hot glowing lava flow into the Pacific Ocean.