This drone footage shows lava flowing from vents in Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano heading right toward suburban homes.
Kilauea has been erupting for few days, mostly spewing toxic gas and thick smoke, but some lava flows also started on May 4.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Department has ordered residents of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens subdivision in the Puna District to evacuate. More than 1,700 residents have been forced from their homes.
This video shows lava flowing into Leilani Estates. The lava is accompanied by extremely high levels of sulfur dioxide gas which the Civil Defense site describes as “an immediate threat to life for all who become exposed.”
The site warned residents, “First responders may not be able to come to the aid of residents who refuse to evacuate.”
Six fissures, each several hundred yards long, have opened in the Puna District, on Kiluea’s eastern slope, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. The vents are mostly expelling gas and smoke, with only spatters of lava shooting out.
Most of the lava was shooting upward—as high as 125 feet, HawaiiNewsNow reported, but not flowing down the hillside.
However, as this video shows, in at least one location lava is flowing, if not in large quantities. Several dwellings are at risk.
Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and the people who have built their homes on its slopes are used to the hazards.
This round of eruptions was punctuated by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake on May 4, the strongest quake Hawaii has experienced since 1975, HawaiiNewsNow reported.
Recommended Video: