Lava Flows Threatens Hawaiian Town of 950 People
COSTELLO: A village in Hawaii preparing for a potential disaster, red hot lava from the still erupting Kilauea volcano is closing in on homes and businesses on the big island. All residents can do is sit, wait or run. The 2,000 degree river of molten rock is swallowing everything in its path, consuming fields, flowing through fences and turning roads into fiery rivers of dark ooze. Mother Nature isn't the only threat to the community either. Believe it or not, there are reports of looters targeting the homes of residents who have been forced to flee. CNN's Martin Savidge is on the big island.</s>MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. It's been a very nervous night here in the town of Pahoa. Point of reference, see the white roof? I can see it, maybe the camera can't. There's an orange glow in the sky and the pall of smoke. That is the lava and it's about 70 yards away from the nearest home, danger literally on the doorstep. This is the main road through town and the lava's going to cut right across it. (voice-over): Lava on Main Street in Pahoa, on the big island, a 2,000 degree river, a molten rock is just a few hundred feet away from the town and there is no way to stop it. Residents are on a moments' notice to evacuate as the superheated stone threatens the town of 950.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone including myself is nervous. You can't see the future. The flow does what the flow does.</s>SAVIDGE: Hawaii's famous Kilauea volcano has continuously erupted since 1983. Usually, the spectacular lava flows pour south, eventually reaching the sea. But in June, a new flow started heading the opposite way to the Northeast, the dark oozing mass consuming everything in its path. Experts say the lava has picked up speed as it heads directly for Pahoa. Hawaii's governor signing a request asking for a presidential disaster declaration and for federal aid.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As it gets closer, the key is communication, that the community, keeping people informed and everybody continue to work around the clock.</s>SAVIDGE: Officials going door to door warning residents as the flow inches dangerously close. Already some roads have been forced to close as the lava overtakes them, with many residents fearing they'll be cut off, Hawaii County is rebuilding alternate gravel roads around the expected path of the lava. People downwind from the smoke have been advised to stay indoors.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have asthma myself and the smoke conditions if they increase are going to be hard on some people.</s>SAVIDGE (on camera): The only hope the people of the town have is that the lava either stops or depose in another direction. Otherwise the force of nature that created the Hawaiian Islands could very well destroy this town -- Carol.</s>COSTELLO: Scary stuff. Martin Savidge reporting. CNN's Chad Myers joins me with more on what's next for the lava flow. That sounds dire.</s>CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It can be certainly. The lava tube has been going in one direction for many days, only about 100 yards wide, though. Here is what happened overnight, a slight slowdown in the front, the front of that lava tube, the front of that flow has slowed down. Because there have been some breaks in the lava tube itself. It's like you're washing your car and someone cuts the hose, all of a sudden you don't have as much pressure washing your car because there's a leak somewhere and there is a leak today and that's the great news. As Marty was saving, all of the lava has been going over in that direction. Now it changed, a crack opened up and it's moving toward Pahoa. That Pahoa area here, this line of red through here is where the lava has been going through cracks in the soil, and also here, cracks in the old lava itself, there's Pahoa cemetery, the good news is here and here we have had breaks in this lava tube. Think of this lava tube, Carol, like this, the black part that you see, but under that, it's all molten lava. So it's going under here. It looks like it hardened but it isn't underneath. The more breaks we can get the less pressure is here, so therefore the slower, it's going to go that way. Maybe it just fills in here for a while, and this slows down and that whole tube can harden up. That would be the good news.</s>COSTELLO: That would be terrific news. Chad Myers, thanks so much. I appreciate it. Still to come in</s>THE NEWSROOM: a chilling look inside the minds of captured ISIS fighters.</s>IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What would have happened to me if when you were with is, if you guys had found me?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They would torture you for sure. They would not simply shoot a bullet in your head.</s>COSTELLO: Our Ivan Watson talked with three ISIS foot soldiers captured by the Kurds. One claims he was given hallucinogenic drugs before going onto the battlefield.