National Guard to protect homes of those fleeing volcanic lava in Hawaii

US National Guard troops arrived in a Hawaiian town threatened by a slow-moving river of molten lava, and were greeted with cheers by residents of the community, where they are to provide security as the volcanic flow advances.

The lava flow from the Kilauea volcano has been slithering toward the village of Pahoa on Hawaii Island for weeks, although it slowed on Thursday and advanced only a few metres over several hours, said Darryl Oliveira, director of Hawaii county civil defence.

"The activity on the flow front is very inactive, very sluggish," Oliveira said.

The lava threatens to destroy homes and cut off a road and a highway through Pahoa, but officials have not offered any predictions on when exactly it could bisect the town of about 800 residents at the site of an old sugar plantation.

No homes have been destroyed so far, and a finger of lava that threatens one house on the edge of town had not crept closer to it since Wednesday night, Oliveira said.

In all, 83 National Guard troops arrived on Thursday in the community, where some residents have expressed concern about the risk of looters targeting evacuated homes. The troops, at checkpoints in the town, were cheered by residents who waved and walked up to start conversations.