Hawaii volcano damage in pictures: Latest photos as lava DESTROYS homes and land
HAWAII volcano Kilauea is releasing monstrous amounts of scorching lava and deadly sulphur dioxide onto Hawaii Island as authorities warn two new volcanic fissures have split the ground open. Here are the latest pictures of the damage caused by Kilauea’s violent eruption.
Despite a brief 24 hour period of inactivity, emergency services have once again urged all residents to evacuate the Leilani Subdivision in Puna District.
Two new fissures have opened in the ground overnight, bringing the grand total of lava-oozing gashes in the surface of the Earth to 14.
Kilauea, Hawaii’s youngest but most active volcano, roared back into life on April 30 when the summit’s crater floor collapsed.
More than 1,800 people have now been forced to flee the southeastern parts of Hawaii Island, or Big Island.
Since Thursday May 3 more than 30 buildings have been damaged by the slowly creeping lava oozing from the ground.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said today: “Vent number 13 has opened near the intersection of Leilani Avenue and Kahukai Road and Vent number 14 near Kaupili Street and Leilani Avenue.
“Both have paused but continue to release hazardous gases.
“Since the onset of this eruption, a total of 14 fissures have emerged.
Kilauea volcano leaves giant fissures in Hawaii roads
“The lava has covered 104 acres and 36 structures have been destroyed.”
Many of the damaged buildings in the residential area of Leilani Estates were homes and at least five have been completely consumed by lava.
On Wednesday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shared startling pictures of the damage caused by the eruption.
A slowly creeping and unstoppable wall of lava was photographed making its way down Leilani Street near the intersection with Pohoiki Road.
Elsewhere field photos were taken of the cracks breaking the ground open near Highway 130 on Ala'ili road, which have widened by nearly two inches in just 24 hours.
The lava has covered 104 acres and 36 structures have been destroyed
A USGS geologist was also photographed examining the scorched ground around one of the simmering fissures in Leilani Estates.
Kilauea is only one of the five volcanoes on Big Island but happens to be the most active on the Hawaii archipelago.
The volcano has been in an eruptive state since 1983 but for the first time in many years, lava eruptions pose a genuine risk to local communities.
Since Kilauea’s crater floor collapsed on April 30, violent “fountains” of molten rock have invaded roads, backyards and homes.
On Tuesday, the USGS shared an image of a bubbling fissure in Leilani, belching thick smoke and sulphur dioxide.
Further along Highway 130, USGS and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists were observing an impressive 1.1km stretch of the highway closed off due to wide cracks in the ground.
Many of the fissures were photographed coughing up thick steam, smoke and other hazardous gases.
Today, officials at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HEMA) ordered everyone in the area to flee to the designated evacuation points at Isaac Hale Beach Park.