World

IN PICTURES | Earthquakes, lava and gas: Hawaii residents flee volcanic threats

Up to 10,000 people have been asked to leave their homes on Hawaii's Big Island following the eruption of the Kilauea volcano that came after a series of recent earthquakes. Adding to the chaos, the island's largest earthquake in more than 40 years, a magnitude-6.9, struck near the south part of the volcano, following a smaller quake that rattled the same area. (AP Photos)
Up to 10,000 people have been asked to leave their homes on Hawaii's Big Island following the eruption of the Kilauea volcano that came after a series of recent earthquakes. Adding to the chaos, the island's largest earthquake in more than 40 years, a mag
Up to 10,000 people have been asked to leave their homes on Hawaii's Big Island following the eruption of the Kilauea volcano that came after a series of recent earthquakes. Adding to the chaos, the island's largest earthquake in more than 40 years, a mag
Associated Press
Updated on: 
2 min read
Kilauea has been continuously erupting since 1983 and is one of five volcanoes that make up the Big Island. Activity picked up earlier this week, indicating a possible new lava outbreak.The crater floor began to collapse Monday, triggering earthquakes and pushing the lava into new underground chambers. The collapse caused magma to push more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) downslope toward the populated southeast coastline. (US Geological Survey via AP)
Kilauea has been continuously erupting since 1983 and is one of five volcanoes that make up the Big Island. Activity picked up earlier this week, indicating a possible new lava outbreak.The crater floor began to collapse Monday, triggering earthquakes and pushing the lava into new underground chambers. The collapse caused magma to push more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) downslope toward the populated southeast coastline. (US Geological Survey via AP)
Two new volcanic vents, from which lava is spurting, developed Friday, bringing the number formed to five. (US Geological Survey via AP)
Two new volcanic vents, from which lava is spurting, developed Friday, bringing the number formed to five. (US Geological Survey via AP)
Communities in the mostly rural Puna district, which sits on Kilauea's eastern flank, know it is one of the world's most active volcanoes and have seen its destruction before. Officials said highways, buildings and utility lines were not damaged, but residents said they felt strong shaking and more stress as they dealt with the dual environmental phenomena. (US Geological Survey via AP)
Communities in the mostly rural Puna district, which sits on Kilauea's eastern flank, know it is one of the world's most active volcanoes and have seen its destruction before. Officials said highways, buildings and utility lines were not damaged, but residents said they felt strong shaking and more stress as they dealt with the dual environmental phenomena. (US Geological Survey via AP)
Authorities said hazards linked to the ongoing eruptions could include 'potentially lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas' in the zone as well as methane blasts that could propel large rocks and debris in adjacent forested areas. Authorities already had closed a long stretch of Highway 130, one of the main arteries through Puna, because of the threat of sulfuric gas. (This photo shows Mohala Street in Leiliani Estates near the town of Pahoa on Hawaii's Big Island that is blocked by a lava flow from the eruption of Kilauea volcano - Hawaii Electric Light via AP)
Authorities said hazards linked to the ongoing eruptions could include 'potentially lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas' in the zone as well as methane blasts that could propel large rocks and debris in adjacent forested areas. Authorities already had closed a long stretch of Highway 130, one of the main arteries through Puna, because of the threat of sulfuric gas. (This photo shows Mohala Street in Leiliani Estates near the town of Pahoa on Hawaii's Big Island that is blocked by a lava flow from the eruption of Kilauea volcano - Hawaii Electric Light via AP)
Julie Woolsey evacuated her home late Thursday as a volcanic vent, or an opening in the Earth's surface where lava emerges, sprouted up on her street in the Leilani Estates neighborhood. 'We knew we were building on an active volcano,' she said, but added that she thought the danger from lava was a remote possibility. (This photo shows a cracked road after the eruption from Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island May 4, 2018 - Shane Turpin/seeLava.com via AP)
Julie Woolsey evacuated her home late Thursday as a volcanic vent, or an opening in the Earth's surface where lava emerges, sprouted up on her street in the Leilani Estates neighborhood. 'We knew we were building on an active volcano,' she said, but added that she thought the danger from lava was a remote possibility. (This photo shows a cracked road after the eruption from Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island May 4, 2018 - Shane Turpin/seeLava.com via AP)
Kilauea hasn't been the kind of volcano that shoots lava from its summit into the sky, causing widespread destruction. It tends to ooze lava from fissures in its sides, which often gives residents at least a few hours' warning before it reaches their property. (Steam rises from cracks in the road shortly before a fissure opened up on Kaupili Street in the Leilani Estates subdivision, May 4, 2018, in Pahoa, Hawaii - US Geological Survey via AP)
Kilauea hasn't been the kind of volcano that shoots lava from its summit into the sky, causing widespread destruction. It tends to ooze lava from fissures in its sides, which often gives residents at least a few hours' warning before it reaches their property. (Steam rises from cracks in the road shortly before a fissure opened up on Kaupili Street in the Leilani Estates subdivision, May 4, 2018, in Pahoa, Hawaii - US Geological Survey via AP)
Hawaii Electric Light said the jolt knocked out power to about 14,400 customers, but electricity was restored about two hours later. (AP Photo)
Hawaii Electric Light said the jolt knocked out power to about 14,400 customers, but electricity was restored about two hours later. (AP Photo)
Brad Stanfill said the lava was more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from his house but he was not allowed in because of a mandatory evacuation order. He was frustrated because he wanted to feed his rabbits and dogs and check on his property. (Residents from the nearby Leilani Estates sleep in their cars after being forced out of there homes by a lava eruption, May 4, 2018, in Pahoa, Hawaii - AP Photo)
Brad Stanfill said the lava was more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from his house but he was not allowed in because of a mandatory evacuation order. He was frustrated because he wanted to feed his rabbits and dogs and check on his property. (Residents from the nearby Leilani Estates sleep in their cars after being forced out of there homes by a lava eruption, May 4, 2018, in Pahoa, Hawaii - AP Photo)
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park evacuated all visitors and non-emergency staff. The quakes triggered rock slides on park trails and crater walls. Narrow fissures appeared on the ground at a building overlooking the crater at Kilauea's summit. (AP Photo)
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park evacuated all visitors and non-emergency staff. The quakes triggered rock slides on park trails and crater walls. Narrow fissures appeared on the ground at a building overlooking the crater at Kilauea's summit. (AP Photo)
Scientists were processing data from the earthquakes to see if they were affecting the eruption, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb said. 'The magma moving down the rift zones, it causes stress on the south flank of the volcano,' she said. 'We're just getting a series of earthquakes.' (US Geological Survey via AP)
Scientists were processing data from the earthquakes to see if they were affecting the eruption, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb said. 'The magma moving down the rift zones, it causes stress on the south flank of the volcano,' she said. 'We're just getting a series of earthquakes.' (US Geological Survey via AP)
At Leilani Estates (in picture), where lava was pushing through cracks in the earth, some residents still wanted to get home. Leilani Estates has about 1,700 residents and 770 homes. One woman angrily told police guarding Leilani Estates that she was going in and they couldn't arrest her. She stormed past police unopposed. (AP Photo)
At Leilani Estates (in picture), where lava was pushing through cracks in the earth, some residents still wanted to get home. Leilani Estates has about 1,700 residents and 770 homes. One woman angrily told police guarding Leilani Estates that she was going in and they couldn't arrest her. She stormed past police unopposed. (AP Photo)
The lava threats are nothing new: In 2014, lava burned a house and destroyed a cemetery near the town of Pahoa. Residents were worried it would cover the town's main road and cut off the community from the rest of the island, but the molten rock stalled. (This photo shows a cracked road after the eruption from Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island Friday, May 4, 2018 - Shane Turpin/seeLava.com via AP)
The lava threats are nothing new: In 2014, lava burned a house and destroyed a cemetery near the town of Pahoa. Residents were worried it would cover the town's main road and cut off the community from the rest of the island, but the molten rock stalled. (This photo shows a cracked road after the eruption from Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island Friday, May 4, 2018 - Shane Turpin/seeLava.com via AP)
From 1990 through 1991, lava slowly overtook the town of Kalapana, burning homes and covering roads and gardens. (Residents from the lava affected areas attend a community meeting at Pahoa High School, May 4, 2018, in Pahoa, Hawaii - AP Photo)
From 1990 through 1991, lava slowly overtook the town of Kalapana, burning homes and covering roads and gardens. (Residents from the lava affected areas attend a community meeting at Pahoa High School, May 4, 2018, in Pahoa, Hawaii - AP Photo)
quake
Hawaii volcano

Related Stories

No stories found.

X
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com