PAHOA, Hawaii – The Latest on an erupting volcano on Hawaii's Big Island (all times local):
11 a.m.
The Coast Guard is warning boats to stay away from where lava is flowing into the ocean on Hawaii's Big Island unless they have prior approval.
Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. John Bannon says in a statement Sunday that "getting too close to the lava can result in serious injury or death."
Hawaii County officials say two lava flows are streaming into the ocean, which sends hydrochloric acid and steam with fine glass particles into the air. The plume can lead to lung damage and eye and skin irritation.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says sulfur dioxide emissions also have tripled. Officials warned people to stay away from the area.
The Coast Guard says it's enforcing a safety zone extending 984 feet (300 meters) around where the lava is entering the sea.
___
10:45 a.m.
A Hawaii orchid grower who lives about 3 miles (5 kilometers) down the road from where lava is entering the ocean says nature is reminding everyone who is boss.
Joseph Kekedi says the lava from Kilauea volcano was about a mile upslope from him at one point but luckily the flow didn't head his way in the Big Island coastal community of Kapoho (Kah-POH-hoh).
He said Sunday that lava is flowing into the sea in a sparsely inhabited area of larger properties.
Hawaii County says residents in the area have evacuated.
Kilauea volcano began spewing lava into the air in a residential neighborhood about two weeks ago. On Saturday, it gushed faster-moving lava that began flowing downhill like a river.
___
6:10 a.m.
Officials on Hawaii's Big Island say lava from an erupting volcano has crossed a highway and flowed into the ocean.
Hawaii County Civil Defense said late Saturday that another lava flow is getting close to the highway in the remote, rural area. The highway has shut down in some spots, and residents in the area have been evacuated.
Lava entering the sea produces hazards that can lead to lung, eye and skin irritation. County officials say the phenomenon sends "hydrochloric acid and steam with fine glass particles into the air."
The Kilauea volcano has sent oozing lava and noxious gas into neighborhoods for more than two weeks, burning homes, driving out residents and producing explosive eruptions at the summit.
___
12 a.m.
The saga of a Hawaii volcano's impact on rural communities is heading into its third week.
Dozens of homes have burned, lava has crossed a road and explosions at the summit bring worries about ash fallout.
As lava flows have grown more vigorous, there's concern more homes may burn and more evacuations will be ordered.
Officials want residents in the remote and rural area of the Big Island to heed evacuation warnings. A few people were temporarily trapped when a flow crossed a road. Some had to be airlifted to safety.
The area affected by lava and ash is small compared to the Big Island, which is about 4,000 square miles (10,360 square kilometers). Most of the island and the rest of the state is unaffected by Kilauea's volcanic activity.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
