Lava Shoots Through Hawaii Neighborhood After Volcano Eruption

The volcanic activity in Hawaii continues to escalate as lava burst through the ground into a suburban neighborhood on Thursday.

The Big Island’s active volcano, Kilauea, erupted last week, causing the ground to open up in a development called Leilani Estates according to a report by The Washington Post. Molten Lava burst from the earth, reportedly shooting as high as 80 to 100 feet into the air.

The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency called the situation “active volcanic fountaining,” and ordered residents to evacuate. Housing nearby was threatened by fires and “extremely high levels of dangerous” sulfur dioxide gas.

The ground burst open again just three streets to the west not long after. Soon, the area was full of fissures spewing hot steam, noxious gas and lava fountains.

The volcanic activity is still going. The Post reports that there were at least 10 fissures in the neighborhood as of Sunday morning local time. Two new ones had opened on Saturday night, and experts expect more outbreaks along the rift zone.

Locals attributed the activity to Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess, who they believed had come to reclaim her land.

Some photographers were able to capture the harrowing geological phenomenon using drone cameras. It showed lava spouting from fissures and then oozing toward the Leilani Estates homes, leaving a trail of burnt trees and ash in its wake. Several streets in the neighborhood were reportedly completely destroyed or cut off from access. The area typically houses about 1,700 people, and most were told to leave last week.

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said that at least five homes have been destroyed by fire at this point. He gave hope that there might be a chance to return home soon to rescue pets or retrieve valuable belongings, but as of Saturday it was still too dangerous.

“This is a very fast-moving situation,” Kim told Hawaii News Now. “This is unfortunately not the end.”

The volcanic activity was accompanied by several earthquakes, one of which was the strongest to hit Hawaii in over 40 years. They came just as some residents were trying to evacuate, causing more complications and panic. On social media, people posted videos of houses shaking, products vibrating off of the shelves at supermarkets and waves forming in swimming pools.

Some officials said that the noxious fumes from the fissures was likely the biggest threat to public health, even as the island continues to be covered in lava.