Kilauea Eruption: 9 Homes Destroyed, Lava Shot 230 Feet Into Air

PAHOA, HI — Nine homes have now been destroyed by lava flowing out of vents in the ground created by Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, and residents are unsure when they'll return home to collect their belongings. At least eight vents, known as fissures, have opened since Thursday, the Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory said. One fissure stopped erupting on Saturday afternoon but a new one erupted Saturday evening.

Lava fountains shot out magma to heights up to 230 feet, the observatory said. New ground cracks have also been reported on Highway 130, though no heat or escaping steam have been seen.

The American Red Cross says roughly 240 people and about 90 pets had to spend the night at local community shelters, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. Hawaii County fire officials warned residents of “extremely dangerous" air quality conditions due to high levels of sulfur dioxide gas.

"Elderly, young, and people with compromised respiratory systems are especially vulnerable," the agency said.

Leilani Estates is a subdivision in the eastern Puna district. The neighborhood has wooden homes surrounded by tropical plants, The Washington Post reported.

More than 1,700 residents were ordered to evacuate the area and nearby Lanipuna Gardens.

Resident Todd Corrigan was forced to flee his home with his wife Friday when lava burst through the ground just three or four blocks from their home. Corrigan said they had to spent the night on the beach in their car and have started looking for a vacation rentals.

"I have no idea how soon we can get back," he said.

Kilauea will probably continue to release more lava through more vents, but they don't know where those vents will pop up.

Hundreds of small earthquakes have shaken homes and businesses in the area as well, including one magnitude-6.9 quake, which was the largest to rumble through Hawaii in more than four decades. Scientists say flowing magma triggered the quakes and they say more could be coming.

Kilauea has continuously erupted since the early 1980s and is one of the world's most active volcanoes. In 2014, lava burned a house and smothered a cemetery as it approached Pahoa, the town closest to Leilani Estates. But this flow stalled just before it reached Pahoa's main road.

Nearly 30 years ago, lava slowly covered an entire town, Kalapana, over the period of about a year.

Active volcanic fountaining is occurring in Leilani Estates Subdivision at this time. All occupants are ordered to evacuate immediately.
— COH Civil Defense (@CivilDefenseHI) May 4, 2018

Another structure!!!
A post shared by John Kapono Carter (@johnkaponocarter) on May 5, 2018 at 10:52am PDT

Photo credit: U.S. Geological Survey via Getty Images