PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — The Latest on the eruption of a Hawaii volcano that sent molten lava through forest land and bubbling up on paved streets…
PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — The Latest on the eruption of a Hawaii volcano that sent molten lava through forest land and bubbling up on paved streets (all times local):
12:30 p.m.
The U. S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-5.4 earthquake has struck Hawaii’s Big Island near where a volcanic eruption has forced residents to evacuate from their rural homes.
Hawaii County Civil Defense says Friday’s earthquake was centered near the south flank of Kilauea volcano. Officials say there’s no tsunami threat to the Big Island.
After a week of earthquakes and warning, an eruption began Thursday and continued Friday, with lava spurting from three volcanic vents.
Acting Mayor Wil Okabe says officials are trying to confirm a fourth vent.
He says two homes have burned. He says one owner lives on the U. S. mainland and officials are trying to find the owner of the second home, who is likely in a shelter. Officials are trying to confirm the extent of the damage, but Okabe says the houses likely burned completely.
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12:15 p.m.
The U. S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-5.0 earthquake has struck Hawaii’s Big Island near where a volcanic eruption has forced residents to evacuate from their rural homes.
Hawaii County Civil Defense says Friday’s earthquake was centered near the south flank of Kilauea volcano. Officials say there’s no tsunami threat to the Big Island.
After a week of earthquakes and warnings, the eruption that began Thursday threw lava into the sky from a crack in a road and sent another line of molten rock snaking through a forest. The activity continued Friday, with reports of lava spurting from volcanic vents on two streets.
People reported to the Geological Survey’s website that they felt light to moderate shaking from Friday’s earthquake. It had a depth of 4.2 miles (6.9 kilometers).
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11:45 a.m.
Some residents living near spattering lava in Hawaii are frustrated that they’re not being allowed to go home.
Hawaii County has issued a mandatory evacuation order for neighborhoods near the lava flow in the mostly rural Puna district of the Big Island. In addition to the danger from lava, civil defense officials are warning the public about high levels of sulfur dioxide.
Brad Stanfill says the lava is more than three miles (5 kilometers) from his house but he’s still not being allowed in. He wants go home to feed his pets and check on his property. He’s concerned about reports of looting.
One woman angrily told police guarding Leilani Estates she was going into the area and they couldn’t arrest her. She stormed past the police unopposed.
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11:20 a.m.
Julie Woolsey is hoping the home she built on Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano won’t burn down.
She lives on a street in the rural Big Island subdivision where a volcanic vent opened up on Thursday. Lava was about 1,000 yards (914 meters) from her house.
She let her chickens loose, loaded her dogs into her truck and evacuated with her daughter and grandson.
At least 1,500 residents in her Leilani Estates subdivision were ordered to evacuate, along with residents of the nearby Lanipuna Gardens subdivision.
State Sen. Russell Ruderman, a Democrat who represents the rural district where the subdivisions are located, estimates no more than 50 people live in Lanipuna.
Woolsey is originally from Oregon and purchased her lot for $35,000 11 years ago after living on Maui became too expensive.
She says she knew she was building on an active volcano but thought a lava threat was a remote possibility.
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11 a.m.
Hawaii officials say two homes in a rural Big Island subdivision have been burned by lava from an erupting volcano.
Hawaii County spokeswoman Janet Snyder said Friday that authorities are still confirming the extent of the damage.
Scientists say at least three small fissure vents where lava can erupt have opened up in the subdivision after Kilauea volcano erupted.
The U. S. Geological Survey says as of Friday morning there’s lava spattering and creating short flows that haven’t traveled more than 33 feet (10 meters) from the vents.
The USGS says additional fissure vents in the area are likely.
Officials have ordered that residents evacuate from two subdivisions.
After a week of earthquakes and warnings, the eruption that began Thursday threw lava into the sky from a crack in a road and sent another line of molten rock snaking through a forest.
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9:15 a.m.
A woman who fled her home after Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupted says she first started getting nervous when she noticed cracks forming in her neighborhood streets.
Maija (MEYE’-uh) Stenback’s house sits just six blocks from a bubbling stream of lava.
She filmed it as the lava splattered across a street before she packed up her car and left with her daughter and grandchildren.
About 1,500 people were evacuated after the volcano erupted Thursday.
Stenbeck also says she smelled sulfur dioxide gas from the eruption. Authorities have warned the gas could hurt the elderly and people with breathing problems.
There were no immediate reports of injuries. At least 100 people were staying in shelters Friday. Stenback was staying with a friend.
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8 a.m.
Two housing subdivisions near Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano are under mandatory evacuation orders as the Big Island volcano’s eruption continues.
Civil defense officials said Friday in a statement that about 1,500 residents of the Leilani Subdivision were ordered to evacuate from about 770 buildings. Residents from the nearby, smaller Lanipuna Gardens Subdivision with 130 lots were also ordered out.
Officials say the eruption is ongoing with lava burning through forest land and bubbling up on two streets in Leilana Estates.
Fire officials also say high levels of dangerous sulfur dioxide gas have been detected in the evacuation zone. They say it’s important the elderly, young people and those with respiratory problems to leave immediately.
Two shelters have been opened for residents.
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6:20 a.m.
Hawaii civil defense officials say extremely high levels of sulfur dioxide gas have been detected in areas near the eruption of Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island.
They are warning people from those areas that it’s very important for elderly and young people and those with respiratory problems to leave immediately.
Exposure to sulfur dioxide gas can cause irritation or burns, sore throats, runny noses, burning eyes and coughing.
Nearly 1,500 residents were ordered to evacuate from their volcano-side homes after the volcano erupted and sent molten lava through forest land and bubbling up on paved streets.
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5:10 a.m.
Hawaii civil defense officials say the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island is still erupting.
The officials say in a statement Friday that volcanic vents are erupting on two streets and that residents of two communities are under evacuation orders.
