Hawaii volcano evacuation: 10,000 told to get out NOW as Kelaueu erupts
TEN thousand people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in Hawaii after Kilauea volcano released lava into residential areas following numerous days of earthquakes.
Hundreds of small earthquakes in the region are shaking the eastern side of Hawaii, raising concerns that Kilauea Volcano could erupt imminently.
The eruption occurred after a series of earthquakes on the island over the last couple of days, including a 5.0 tremor at about 10.30 am, the US Geological Survey said.
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake shook the Big Island, which caused a giant plume of pink smoke to rise from the mountain.
Resident Ikaika Marzo told Hawaii News Now that he saw "fountains" of lava.
Ground shaking from the earthquake caused rockfalls in the Pu'u O'o crater on Kilauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone, which resulted in a short-lived plume of reddish ash rising above the cone
Tina Neal, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist-in-charge, said: “It appears that ground shaking from the earthquake caused rockfalls in the Pu'u O'o crater on Kilauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone, which resulted in a short-lived plume of reddish ash rising above the cone.”
The earthquake was located around 18 miles south west of the Hawaiian Paradise Park and 26.6 miles south of Hilo, and was at a depth of around 4 miles.
It was the strongest tremor in a series of hundreds of magnitude 2.5 earthquakes along the east rift zone.
Hawaii County news said: “All areas bordering the east rift zone are at high risk for eruption activities.
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“Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has identified magma movement in the lower east rift zone.
“We urge all residents to keep themselves informed and on the alert.”
A new lava flow appeared in Leilani Estates in lower Puna shortly after 4pm local time, causing Hawaii County Civil Defence officials to commence their evacuation plans.
Mount Kilauea sits on the largest and southernmost of the Hawaiian island range, know as Big Island.
Located along the southern shore of the island, the volcano is thought to be between 300,000 and 600,000 years old, making it one of the youngest in the region.
Despite its age, Mount Kilauea is thought to be one of the most active on earth.
The last serious eruption in 1924 resulted in one fatality, when the volcano hurled mud, debris and giant hot rocks weighing as much as 7,000kg into the air and across much of the island.
The unlucky person killed was a daredevil photographer, who ventured too close to the action.
Prior to this, Kilauea is thought to have killed around 80 people when it erupted without warning in the late 1780s.
This latest activity is causing a panic, with the USGS is currently ranking the volcano as colour code orange, meaning the threat potential is ‘very high’.
The Kilauea Volcano has been erupting nearly continuously for more than three decades. Lava flows from the volcano, one of five on the island, have buried 48 square miles (125 km).
The leading edge of the lava can reach temperatures of about 2,100 Fahrenheit (1,149 Celsius).