Lava flow stalls short of stores

HONOLULU – Lava from a Hawaiian volcano has stalled on its creep toward a Big Island shopping center.

Officials had been worried that the lava would hit Pahoa Marketplace on or around Christmas, but civil defense administrator Darryl Oliveira said Tuesday that the lava’s leading edge had stopped about 700 yards from the shopping center, which has a supermarket, gas station and other stores.

“Hopefully this is an indication of a change in the flow,” Oliveira said.

The lava front appears to have hardened and hasn’t advanced since Monday, but it’s unclear whether the molten rock has stopped or is just stalled, Oliveira said. Several shops had closed down in advance of what seemed like impending disaster.

“Somebody told me it’s a Christmas miracle,” said Becky Petersen, owner of Jungle Love, a clothing boutique in the shopping center.

A new branch of lava about 300 yards upslope is still active, and could eventually surpass the stalled rock and become the new front, Oliveira said.