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Hawaii volcano spewing lava forces evacuation

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Sat, 5 May 2018, 2:33PM
A fissure forms on the west flank of the Puu Oo crater on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano (Getty Images)
A fissure forms on the west flank of the Puu Oo crater on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano (Getty Images)

Hawaii volcano spewing lava forces evacuation

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Sat, 5 May 2018, 2:33PM

The Kilauea volcano has spewed fountains of lava into residential areas on Hawaii's Big Island, forcing hundreds of people, including many retirees, to evacuate their homes.

The volcano, one of five on the island, began erupting on Thursday after a series of earthquakes over the past week, the US Geological Survey reported on its website.

Starting around 11 am on Friday, the island experienced a flurry of earthquakes, the largest registering magnitude 5.8.

Residents in Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens subdivisions, home to about 1,700 people, were ordered to evacuate after public works officials reported steam and lava burbling up from cracks in the road, the county's Civil Defence said.

No injuries or deaths were reported.

"There are lava tubes on our property," said Dale Miller, 58, a Leilani Estates resident, referring to the natural tunnels underground that drain lava during an eruption.

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