— Geologists monitoring the eruption of the Kilauea volcano say it could continue to spout lava for a long time.

The volcano has been erupting since early May in the Leilani Estates neighborhood on Hawaii's big island, forcing evacuations and destroying more than 700 homes. The US Geological Survey's Hawaii Volcano Observatory said the eruption has covered more than 12 square miles (23 square kilometers) with black lava and has added 700 acres of new land to the island.

A report from the Hawaii Volcano Observatory found that this eruption, in what geologists call Kilauea's lower East Rift Zone, has produced a greater volume of lava than past eruptions in the area.

"Given this volume and the sustained withdrawal of magma from the summit reservoir without appreciable deformation in the lower East Rift Zone, it is most likely that the LERZ eruption may continue for months to years," the report said.

Kilauea has been erupting on and off for centuries, according to the US Geological Survey.

The most recent eruption has ripped dozens of fissures in the Earth's surface, allowing lava and dangerous gasses to escape. The most prominent is fissure 8, which is spewing out lava that runs in a channel from Leilani Estates to the ocean.

The report said that lava is flowing out of fissure 8 at an estimated rate of 100 cubic meters per second and shows no signs of waning pressure.

'If the ongoing eruption maintains its current style of activity at a high eruption rate, then it may take months to a year or two to wind down," it said. "While this seems to be the most likely outcome, a pause in the eruption, followed by additional activity, cannot be ruled out, nor can an abrupt cessation or a transition to steady, longer-lived activity at a lower effusion rate."

The Hawaii Volcano Observatory gave the report to the Hawaii County Civil Defense to help them prepare for possible threats from the eruption.

It said that a breach in the current channel could divert the lava in a new direction and put other areas at risk.

"The main hazard from the source cone and the channel system is a failure of the cone or channel walls or blockage of the channel where it divides in narrower braids. Either could divert most, if not all, of the lava to a new course depending on where the breach occurs," the report said.

The report focused on threats to areas north of the current lava flow because they have not been evacuated.</s>Lava from Big Island’s Kilauea volcano has now been responsible for destroying hundreds of home. Scientists have had little idea of when exactly the activity could stop, as Kilauea has been continuously busy for the past 35 years. The volcano has been active enough to produce an entire new outcrop of land jutting of the coast at Kapoho Bay. Geologists have been constantly monitoring the summit of the volcano for changes, and some areas are apparently starting to quiet down.

The US Geological Survey monitoring has found the volcano has been erupting on and off for centuries now. Despite reports that fissure 22 on the volcano is now just dribbling lava, fissure 8 is still going strong, with 100 cubic metres of lava per second leaking out. A new report from the area is now estimating that the eruption could continue for years to come.

The report said: "Given this volume and the sustained withdrawal of magma from the summit reservoir without appreciable deformation in the lower East Rift Zone, it is most likely that the LERZ eruption may continue for months to years. “If the ongoing eruption maintains its current style of activity at a high eruption rate, then it may take months to a year or two to wind down.” The unpredictable nature of the volcano is also something researchers have taken into account. The report says: ”While this seems to be the most likely outcome, a pause in the eruption, followed by additional activity, cannot be ruled out, nor can an abrupt cessation or a transition to steady, longer-lived activity at a lower effusion rate."

Where is the lava from Kilauea heading? Kilauea’s lava flow has managed to destroy hundreds of homes, and the new report claims that it could move towards entirely new neighbourhoods. The latest reports from USGS have shown that lava flows are now approaching Isaac Hale park in the Alahanui area, and are only 500m away. Breaches and overflows in the channelised lava flows are threatening to push it in new directions. The report says: "The main hazard from the source cone and the channel system is a failure of the cone or channel walls or blockage of the channel where it divides in narrower braids. “Either could divert most, if not all, of the lava to a new course depending on where the breach occurs.”</s>The eruption of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano could last for months or years and threaten new communities on the Big Island, according to a report by U.S. government geologists.

A main risk is a possible change in the direction of a lava flow that would destroy more residential areas after at least 712 homes were torched and thousands of residents forced to evacuate since Kilauea began erupting on May 3, the report by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said.

A higher volume of molten rock is flowing underground from Kilauea's summit lava reservoir than in previous eruptions, with supply to a single giant crack -- fissure 8 -- showing no sign of waning, according to the study published last week.

"If the ongoing eruption maintains its current style of activity at a high eruption rate, then it may take months to a year or two to wind down," said the report designed to help authorities on the Big Island deal with potential risks from the volcano.

Lava is bursting from same area about 25 miles (40 km) down Kilauea's eastern side as it did in eruptions of 1840, 1955 and 1960, the report said. The longest of those eruptions was in 1955. It lasted 88 days, separated by pauses in activity.

The current eruption could become the longest in the volcano's recorded history, it added.

Geologists believe previous eruptions may have stopped as underground lava pressure dropped due to multiple fissures opening up in this Lower East Rift Zone, the report said.

The current eruption has coalesced around a single fissure, allowing lava pressure to remain high.

A 1,300-foot-wide (400-meter) lava river now flows to the ocean from this "source cone" through an elevated channel about 52 to 72 feet (16 to 22 meters) above ground.

"The main hazard from the source cone and the channel system is a failure of the cone or channel walls, or blockage of the channel where it divides in narrower braids. Either could divert most, if not all, of the lava to a new course depending on where the breach occurs," the report said.

The report said it only considered risks from a change in lava flow direction to communities to the north of the channel as residents there have not been evacuated, whereas residents to the south have already left their homes.</s>Two harrowing incidents in the past two months have thrust the term “lava bomb” into the consciousness of casual volcano watchers around the state and across the country.

Two harrowing incidents in the past two months have thrust the term “lava bomb” into the consciousness of casual volcano watchers around the state and across the country.

On May 19 a 57-year-old Puna man was struck by a lava bomb the size of a basketball as he stood on a third-floor balcony. The flaming projectile splintered his lower leg and knocked him onto a couch, which then caught fire.

Then, on July 16, another lava bomb, also estimated to be about the size of a basketball, smashed through the roof of a tour boat, injuring 23 people watching the lava flow from Kapoho Bay.

In reporting the incidents, local and national news organizations made liberal use of the inherently dramatic term for a mass of lava propelled from a volcano that hardens as it travels through the air: “Man’s leg shattered by ‘lava bomb’ spewed from Kilauea volcano stream” (Newsweek); “Lava bomb hits tourist boat in Hawaii, injuring 23” (New York Times); “23 injured after basketball-sized ‘lava bomb’ crashes through roof of Hawaiian tour boat” (Washington Post).

But what might sound like headline hyperbole is in fact part of the everyday lexicon of geologists and volcanologists.

By U.S. Geological Society definition, a lava bomb — more commonly called a “volcanic bomb” or simply “bomb,” is a semimolten blob of lava, measuring anywhere from 2-1/2 inches to 20 feet in diameter, projected from a volcano during active eruption. They are different from “blocks,” which are pieces of pre-existing rock propelled into the air by volcanic activity.

“Hawaii has a long history of lava bombs,” said Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Janet Babb. “Basically, whenever you have molten lava that is propelled skyward, solidifies or partly solidifies, and comes back down, you can have lava bombs.”

Geologists distinguish different types of bombs by the shapes they form — spherical, ribbon, cowpie — during flight and upon impact. Spindle bombs take oblong, football-like form as they spin through the air. Cowpie bombs are formed when lava that is still relatively fluid splatters on the ground. Breadcrust bombs are so named for the cracked surface created as the lava hardens and dries.

Needless to say, lava bombs can be extremely dangerous. In 1993 six scientists and three other people were killed by falling bombs and other volcanic debris during an eruption at Galeras volcano in Colombia.

In the wake of the latest lava bomb incident on Hawaii island, the Coast Guard reinstituted the requirement that all boats remain at least 300 meters away from the lava flow at all time.

Previously, selected commercial and research vessels were allowed to approach within 50 meters.</s>Amber Makuakane, a mother of two, purchased a home nearly a decade ago in Leilani Estates, a lush, rural community on Hawaii's Big Island. Makuakane grew up in the neighborhood and wanted her children to enjoy the jungle in their backyard as she had. That all changed on May 3, when a volcanic fissure opened up in their neighborhood, sending lava and hot gas exploding into the air, and forcing the family to leave their home for what would be the last time. A few days later, Makuakane received a text message from a friend confirming her worst fears — their home had been completely engulfed by lava. The 37-year-old elementary school teacher told BuzzFeed News she hasn't been able to return to her property since it was destroyed, because the lava has made it inaccessible, covering at least a mile around it. Makuakane was one of the first Hawaii residents to lose their home to lava since the most recent eruption at Kilauea began more than a month ago. At least 700 homes have since been destroyed by the slow-moving lava in communities downslope from the volcano. Residents who have lost their homes in the eruption are now facing limited options, including whether to rebuild or relocate.

After evacuating, Makuakane moved into a rental home with the help of a network of teachers who started an online fundraiser for her.

 "They just totally helped me put my house together," she said. "I'm super grateful that I have family and friends who have been with me since day one."

 Her home now in ruins, Makuakane said she has no plans to return to the community where she has spent most of her life.

 "I won't go back. I want to be able to build something for my family later on, but it won't be in Leilani Estates," she said. "We will be looking for another place on the Big Island." While Makuakane doesn't know where she'll end up next, she said the lava zone "will be a consideration" when she does decide. In Leilani Estates, located in lava zone 1 (the highest volcano hazard area), two dozen fissures have opened up, producing intermittent streams of lava for nearly six weeks. The area is located on Kilauea's East Rift Zone, a limb of the volcano that extends for miles from the summit, making it less obvious that the area is atop an active volcano. Residents planning to rebuild run the risk of having their property inundated by lava again. In the early 1990s, more than 100 homes were destroyed by lava in Kalapana Gardens, but a decade later the area was resurveyed, people returned, and started rebuilding. In 2011, three homes were destroyed in Kalapana when lava engulfed them, but that hasn't stopped people from continuing to move to the area. Rebuilding isn't easy. Leilani Estates and other neighborhoods in lower Puna are completely without power after lava activity damaged more than 700 utility poles. Drinking water is also an issue with multiple lines cracked by earthquakes.

A new settlement "out of harm's way" While some residents like Makuakane have found alternative housing, more than 400 others are still sleeping in shelters set up by Hawaii Red Cross. On Friday, the construction of tiny, temporary homes began on the lawn of Sacred Hearts Church in Pahoa to move people out of the shelters.

 Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said that a subdivision may be built for lava evacuees, but there have been no concrete details about where the homes would be located or how it would be funded.

 "We will also pursue the relocation program that is very long term," said Kim at a press conference Monday. "There are areas that cannot and should not be gone back to, so we are looking at the total scope of what we can do." Hawaii Gov. David Ige told reporters he is putting together a housing task force with county, state, and federal agencies to make plans for permanent housing for lava evacuees.

 "We will have to confront and respond and answer some very tough questions about where and why people should live in certain areas," said Ige. At the same press conference, the mayor was more assertive about not rebuilding in lava zone 1. "Kilauea is the most active volcano in the world, regardless of where this stops, it will start again somewhere," Kim said. "Our responsibility is to work with the community to rebuild out of harm's way." Hawaii County Planning Director Michael Yee told BuzzFeed News officials are considering building a large development on state land for lava evacuees to relocate on the east side of the Big Island. He said the governor suggested earlier in the week that they look at unused agricultural land near Maku'u Farmer's Market, which is in lava zone 3. Yee said they are also looking at the possibility of swapping land — or property transfers — between the state and residents who had lost their homes to lava.



"If you give up your property up in this lava zone 1, you possibly can be given a property elsewhere or be given some funds, if you opt to buy a property in a certain area," said Yee.



The planning director emphasized they are only in the preliminary stages and are hoping to conduct a survey to determine the variety of needs for homeowners as well as renters who have been displaced.

Who owns new land formed by lava? Kim, the mayor, is one of the more than 700 homeowners who lost their homes to the lava. His property located in Vacationland, is renown for its beautiful, geothermal tide pools. “I bought my place in 1971 because I wanted a piece of Puna... just some place that I could sit by the water," an emotional Kim said at a community meeting. Lava from the eruption completely filled Kapoho Bay last week as well as the adjacent tide pools, creating a delta of land that now extends nearly a mile out from the former coastline. New land that forms as a result of hardened lava is the property of the state of Hawaii, unless the new area is formed within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which belongs to the federal government. That means property owners in Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots, who once owned waterfront homes, no longer do. After a 1955 lava flow extended the shoreline in Kapoho, the Hawaii State Supreme Court decided that a resident did not have a claim to the seven acres of land that formed in front of his home. On the US mainland, accretion laws often allow shoreline homeowners to claim new land that forms, but the Hawaii court's decision looked at ancient Hawaiian practices, in which land was thought of as a communal, living entity that would provide for the people if cared for properly. The court ruling reflects "how Hawaiians looked at land traditionally," said Moses Haia, the executive director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation. "Land was not a commodity — it was a resource and it was a resource for the good of all, so you couldn't just stake a claim to that land."

Who is going to write the check? Property destroyed by lava still belongs to its original owner, but will need to be resurveyed. It's not clear when properties like Makuakane's will be surveyed, but her home was reassessed by the Hawaii County Real Property Tax Office at "zero value," so no property taxes are owed for at least a year. She is also working with loan officers and her insurance company to determine what will be covered. "I'm hopeful they will cover the mortgage," said Makuakane. The mother of two did not have lava insurance, but thinks it will be covered by her fire policy. For people living in lava zones 1 or 2, insurance options are limited since many private companies won't sell coverage or have extremely high premiums for hazard zones. Insurance rates in lava zone 1 are often three times higher than the rates for lava zone 3. Bill Parecki, a realtor for Elite Pacific Properties, told BuzzFeed News that he has heard of insurance rates around $5,000 a year for properties in lava zone 1. Private insurance policies should cover lava damage — even without a specific clause calling for it — although Hawaii Gov. Ige warned residents at a community meeting to not ask about lava and instead "ask if you have coverage for fire.” In the early 1990s, the state created the Hawaii Property Insurance Association, which provides basic insurance options to people living in lava zones 1 and 2. These policies are limited and usually max out at $350,000. On Thursday, President Trump approved a request from Ige to initiate all of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's individual assistance programs, which cover housing, unemployment, trauma, and legal matters.

 FEMA Regional Administrator Robert Fenton said at a press conference Monday that the housing program would allow property owners who lived in their homes and did not have insurance to seek financial assistance, which is capped at $34,000.

Is it even possible to go back now? Makuakane's parents are anxiously holding out hope they will be able to return to their home despite lava flowing just 100 yards away.

 Even if the lava eruption ends in Leilani Estates, the fissures that opened up in the ground could continue to emit dangerous levels of sulfur dioxide gas, making it potentially uninhabitable and killing plants. The underground volcanic activity has also caused severe cracking along the only remaining road into the area, making access unpredictable. For Makuakane, the uncertainty about when the eruption will end has presented a challenge for her family, but she said it wouldn't stop her from moving on. "We literally are going with the flow and we just make the best of the situation," she said. "We still choose to live on this beautiful island."
• Michelle Broder Van Dyke is a breaking news reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in Honolulu. Got a confidential tip? Submit it here.</s>It's been more than two months since magma started erupting from the ground in Kilauea Volcano's Lower East Rift Zone, (LERZ) sending channels of flowing lava over entire communities, lakes and even filling in an entire bay. Now scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory warn this could be just the beginning.

A report produced last week by the USGS for Hawaii County Civil Defense predicts "it is most likely that the LERZ eruption may continue for months to years."

It notes that the constant flow of lava over the past several weeks and lack of any ground deformation suggests there is plenty of pent-up magma underground and pressure to keep the eruption going for some time, with or without breaks in the flow.

"If the ongoing eruption maintains its current style of activity at a high eruption rate, then it may take months to a year or two to wind down. While this seems to be the most likely outcome, a pause in the eruption, followed by additional activity, cannot be ruled out, nor can an abrupt cessation or a transition to steady, longer‐lived activity at a lower effusion rate."

Years of sustained eruption at the current rate would produce a staggering amount of lava.

The USGS report compared the ongoing eruption to other major volcanic events in the area over the past two centuries and finds that the volume of lava flows surfaced since May has already exceeded the combined volume from major eruptions in 1840, 1955 and 1960.

To provide some sense of scale: if the eruption were to continue at the same rate for a total of two years, it could produce about 5 billion cubic meters of lava, which is comparable to the amount of water unleashed when a dam collapsed in Laos this week, devastating communities there and leaving hundreds missing.

As if that weren't enough to fathom, the USGS says the structure and character of the lava flow appears to be changing, adding to the bad news.

"The change in the character... may signal a gradual change of eruption style and a potentially longer eruption with more destruction of infrastructure. "</s>A month after lava first began gushing out of cracks near homes on Hawaii's Big Island, the eruption at Kilauea volcano showed no sign of ending Monday with lava burning through residential communities as it flowed toward the ocean.

 On Sunday morning, the lava began destroying homes in the communities of Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots. By Wednesday morning, lava had completely covered Vacationland, according to the US Geological Survey. Residents in the area were advised to evacuate last week, since it was clear that the lava would sever a major highway that connects the area to the rest of the island.



Late Sunday night, the lava reached the ocean, flowing into and mostly filling Kapoho Bay. Lava filled it entirely by Wednesday.

Lava from Kilauea burst through the ground on May 3 in the residential neighborhoods of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens, with fissures spewing lava as high as 200 feet. As the eruption continued, three channels flowed south, where it crossed a major highway and entered the ocean just north of Mackenzie State Park. From the same fissure area, a new channel started to form last week, but it spread in a different direction — flowing east toward Kapoho. Lava follows the topography of the land, usually flowing down the path of least resistance, and now the flow has almost entirely filled a bay of pristine tide pools.

The flow entered the ocean Sunday at Kapoho Bay and adjacent to the Kapoho Tide Pools (also called the Wai'ōpae Tide Pools), which are part of a marine conservation district. The water in Kapoho is particularly unique because of the many anchialine ponds — landlocked water that has a subterranean connection to the ocean — connected to the tide pools. The area is also a marine nursery and is warmed by the volcano, which made it a highly desirable snorkel spot. While most of the bay had been filled with lava by Monday afternoon, the northern part of the bay, referred to as Champagne Pond, was still submerged. The area is named after the bubbly beverage because the volcano's heat creates little bubbles. Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno estimated that there are at least a dozen people who have not evacuated, but that they have no way of communicating with anyone remaining in Kapoho, since phone and power service is no longer working in the isolated area.

 There are now 117 homes that have been verified destroyed by lava, but that figure does not include the new communities, which have not yet been counted. Magno said the lava "doesn’t show any sign of slowing down" and he expected destruction to continue.



A US Geological Survey helicopter rescued three people trapped in the area isolated by lava on Sunday morning, according to scientist Janet Babb. She said the stranded people flagged the helicopter down because they did not have any cell service. The helicopter then dropped off the USGS scientists in a safe spot and returned to rescue the three people. On Saturday night, 393 people stayed at one of the three shelters that have been opened for lava evacuees, which includes people who have now been there for over a month, as well as evacuees from Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland.

An eruption in 1960 covered the town originally known as Kapoho, where there were about 100 homes at the time, but since then the area had not seen any lava. Despite being on the east flank of the volcano, Kapoho was rebuilt as a gated community with its swimmable coastline. At least 1,000 people live there, although many of the oceanfront homes are multimillion-dollar vacation retreats.
• Michelle Broder Van Dyke is a breaking news reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in Honolulu. Got a confidential tip? Submit it here.</s>The Kilauea eruption — which began May 3 and has destroyed more than 700 homes — “most likely” could continue for months to years.

The Kilauea eruption — which began May 3 and has destroyed more than 700 homes — “most likely” could continue for months to years.

That’s the conclusion of a recent U.S. Geological Survey report prepared for Hawaii County Civil Defense.

The authors said the sustained flow of magma from the summit so far leads them to believe it will be some time before the eruption ends.

The range of duration is broad and remains unpredictable, scientists said Monday afternoon during a phone conference.

The document, posted online, is intended as a guide for managing the hazards and risks on Kilauea’s lower East Rift Zone. In addition to the homes destroyed, the eruption has covered farms, a school and beloved recreational areas.

“Given this volume and the sustained withdrawal of magma from the summit reservoir without appreciable deformation in the lower East Rift Zone, it is most likely that the LERZ (lower East Rift Zone) eruption may continue for months to years,” the report said.

Steve Brantley, USGS deputy scientist in charge, said the volume of lava erupting into the lower East Rift Zone, so far, is quite high compared with the volumes of historical eruptions dating back to 1940.

“The continued subsidence of the crater up at Halemaumau implies directly that magma is withdrawing from the summit reservoirs and moving down the lower East Rift Zone into fissure 8,” said Brantley. “So there’s a very large volume of magma there that can supply lava rates for quite some time.”

If the ongoing eruption maintains its current style of activity at a high eruption rate, the report said, then “it may take months to a year or two to wind down.”

So far, the current eruption has not lasted as long as the 1955 eruption — which was 88 days, including pauses — but it has erupted far more lava at a higher rate.

“This current eruption is unlike any that we have experienced; no one is able to predict how long the eruption will last,” said Mayor Harry Kim in an email. “Our County Civil Defense works to ensure the community’s safety, regardless of the duration of this event.”

USGS recorded another collapse event at Kilauea’s summit at 8:54 p.m. Sunday, with energy equal to a 5.3-magnitude earthquake. There was no tsunami threat to Hawaii island. A few overflows were found just northwest of Kapoho Cone but stalled before threatening any structures.

More than 50 “collapse events” have occurred at Halemaumau since the eruption began May 3; they repeat approximately once every 30 hours.

Halemaumau Crater, meanwhile, continues to “slump,” meaning parts of its rim and walls are sloughing off, resulting in a larger diameter and deeper depth. Since mid-May, USGS said, the depth of the crater has more than tripled, and the diameter more than doubled.

How much larger the crater will become also remains unknown, according to Brantley.

Sunday’s collapse caused additional damage to Highway 11 between mile markers 28 and 32 near Volcano, state officials said. Motorists are urged to drive with extreme caution in the area.

At the oceanfront the flow remains about a quarter-mile from the Pohoiki boat ramp at Isaac Hale Park. The lava delta area now measures about 740 acres and extends about a half-mile from the pre-eruption coastline. It could potentially collapse without warning, leading to explosions.

The focus of the report is on fissure 8, which first became active May 5 and erupted “with a vigorous fountain” May 27, producing a relatively fast-moving, channelized flow going northeast. Two days later the flow crossed Pohoiki Road and Highway 132, and reached Kapoho Bay on June 3.

By the end of June, the fountaining from fissure 8 built a spatter cone about 180 feet high, with lava from the vent continuing to feed into an 8-mile-long channel to the ocean at about 50 to 150 cubic meters per second.

If the cone or channel walls fail, or if narrower braids of the channel get blocked, the lava could take a new course.

Several scenarios that could come from fissure 8, which as of Monday continued to send lava to the ocean, with an active ocean entry southeast of Aha­lanui, were mapped out in the report. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory focused on scenarios where lava flows to the north of the existing channel system, where residents have not yet been evacuated.

If there is an upper channel breach — in the channel between the vent and Pohoiki Road/Highway 132 — USGS said it is likely to advance northeast and continue along the eastern boundary of the Nanawale Estates subdivision, ultimately crossing Railroad Avenue and Government Beach Road. It could reach the ocean southeast of Kahakai Boulevard or slightly closer to the Hawaiian Beaches and Hawaiian Shores subdivisions.

With a middle channel breach, which could happen if one of the braided sections of the channel is blocked, lava could be redirected to the north, threatening homes in the Noni Farms area and Railroad Avenue, Papaya Farms and Government Beach roads. It would enter the ocean between Kalamanu and the northern edge of the 1960 lava flow.

There also could be a lower channel breach. On July 9 and 10 the channel overflow northwest of Kapoho Crater created a new lobe that advanced south, destroying Kua o ka La Public Charter School and Ahalanui warm ponds. The flow north and east of Kapoho Crater to the ocean is still oozing lava into the ocean and could widen, threatening remaining structures in the Kapoho Ags and Beach lots, along with Cape Kumukahi Lighthouse.

Elizabeth Kekidi, owner of Alohilani Orchids on Railroad Avenue, said she still plans to keep her nursery going at the border of Kalapana. Her orchids are doing fine, she said, as long as trades blow the other way.

“I’m going to try to hang on,” she said. “I’m hoping. For some reason I don’t believe it’s going to last. Maybe in the next month or two, I think, it’ll be over.”

Her greatest challenge, she said, is limited access into and out of her nursery, which is currently accomplished by taking back roads. If lava cuts off those roads, however, she will be in trouble.</s>Back in March this year, Indian handset manufacturer Lava launched the Lava Z50 in India with a price tag of ₹4400. The Z50 is the first smartphone from Lava that runs Android Oreo (Go Edition). Moreover, it’s also the first Android Oreo (Go Edition) smartphone that was launched in India. Well now, further expanding its portfolio of Android Oreo (Go Edition) smartphones in India, Lava has today launched the Lava Z61 in the country.

The Lava Z61 is an Android Go smartphone running Android Oreo (Go Edition). For those unaware, Android Go is a lightweight version of Android which is built especially for smartphones with weak hardware like a measly 1 GB or less amount of RAM. Well, this should make it clear to you that that the Lava Z61 is a low-end smartphone.

The Lava Z61 is powered by a quad-core processor that’s clocked at 1.5 GHz and is paired with 1 GB RAM. However, Lava has said that the 2 GB RAM variant will be launched in India next month. That said, the Z61 features a 5.45-inch display that has aspect ratio of 18:9 and a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels. The display also comes with 2.5D curved glass atop along with the protection of Gorilla Glass.

At the back, the Lava Z61 has an 8 MP camera that’s accompanied by LED flash, and on the front, it has a 5 MP camera which too is accompanied by LED flash. The camera comes with Bokeh Mode as well as ‘Sharp Click’ technology which Lava says allows the users to “capture even the smallest details; providing unprecedented photography experience”.

The Laval Z61 is offered in two colors – Black and Gold – and ships with a 3000 mAh battery which Lava says can last “up to 1.5 days with a single charge”.

Commenting on the launch of Lava Z61 in India, Mr. Gaurav Nigam, Head – Product, Lava International, said, “We, at LAVA, believe that the smallest details can make a big difference. Our new smartphone, Z61, is a testimony to that. It is a perfect amalgamation of great looks and impeccable performance; combined with unparalleled camera experience. With its Sharp Click Technology, Z61 is designed to capture the most alluring, high-definition pictures and the HD+ screen allows users to consume videos in superb quality. We sincerely hope and believe that our customers will bestow equal or more love to this new addition in our very successful Z series smartphones.“

Lava Z61 Android Oreo (Go Edition) Price in India and Availability
• Availability: Available through 80,000 retail outlets across the country. 2 GB RAM variant will be available next month.
• One-time free screen replacement warranty for one year from the date of purchase (applicable on purchases made till September 30, 2018)
• Cashback of ₹2200 from Reliance Jio in the form of 44 vouchers worth ₹50 each credited into the MyJio app after first recharge of ₹198 or ₹299.</s>Lava on Monday expanded its Z-range of smartphones with the launch of a new model - the Lava 61. The company has five smartphones in its Z-series. While the Lava Z60, Lava Z70, Lava Z80, and Lava Z90 were launched in October last year, the Lava Z91 was unveiled earlier this year. The Lava Z61 price in India has been set at Rs. 5,750. The key highlights of the handset are an 18:9 Full View HD+ display, 3,000mAh battery, 1GB of RAM, and Android Oreo (Go edition). Notably, the smartphone will also be available in a 2GB RAM variant starting next month. The new Lava Z61 also comes with a 'Sharp Click' technology that the company says will enable users to capture "even the smallest details."

The Lava Z61 has been priced at Rs. 5,750 in India. It will be available in more than 80,000 retail outlets in Black and Gold colour options. Meanwhile, the Z61 variant with 2GB RAM will be launched in August 2018. The smartphone also comes with a special launch offer of one-time screen replacement for free. Notably, the offer is applicable on the Lava Z61 till September 30.

Additionally, buyers of the Lava Z61 can avail a Rs. 2,200 cashback offer from Reliance Jio. As a part of the offer, Jio users will get the instant cashback with the purchase of the smartphone. The cashback will be credited in the form of 44 cashback vouchers of Rs. 50 that can be used for the recharge of Rs. 198 and Rs. 299 plans from the telco. These vouchers will be available inside the MyJio app. This offer is applicable to both existing and new Jio customers.

The Lava Z61 variant with 1GB RAM runs Android Oreo (Go edition) and the 2GB RAM model will support Android 8.1 Oreo. The smartphone sports a 5.45-inch HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio and 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass. The handset is powered by a quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz.

In terms of optics, the Lava Z61 comes with a 'Sharp Click' technology. The smartphone features an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera with LED flash. The phone comes with an improved Bokeh Mode, the company claims. The Lava Z61 is equipped with 16GB of inbuilt storage.

The Lava Z61 is fueled by a 3000mAh battery that is claimed to last up to 1.5 days with a single charge. The company says that the battery is "supported with AI technology" that monitors the phone's battery consumption and also shuts down apps running in the background that the user hasn't touched for a while.
Geologists monitoring the eruption of Kīlauea warned it could continue to spout lava for a long time.