The recent eruptions from several volcanic vents in a residential neighborhood on Hawaii’s Big Island have prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents. The Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory said eight lava fissures had opened under Leilani Estates over the past few days. The opening of the fissures and lava flow from Kilauea Volcano follow a series of earthquakes, including a magnitude-6.9 quake on Friday, and the earlier collapse of a nearby crater, emptying the lake of lava within. The unfolding disaster is unpredictable, and may take a very long time to calm down enough to allow residents to return.
Photos of Kilauea's Newest Lava Fissures on Hawaii's Big Island
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A 2,000-foot-long fissure erupts within the Leilani Estates subdivision, on the east rift zone of the Kilauea volcano threatening homes of hundreds in Hawaii, on May 5, 2018. #
Bruce Omori / Paradise Helicopters / EPA-EFE / REX / Shutterstock -
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On the morning of May 5, 2018, lava from fissure 7 slowly advanced to the northeast on Hookapu Street in Leilani Estates subdivision on Kilauea's lower East Rift Zone, burning trees and power poles. #
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In this photo released by U.S. Geological Survey, lava is shown burning trees and ground cover in the Leilani Estates subdivision near the town of Pahoa on May 3, 2018 #
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After a mandatory evacuation, Leilani Estates residents line up on the road leading to the area, on May 4, 2018. Due to unsafe conditions in the area, authorities were not allowing residents back to their homes. #
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A panoramic view of a lava fissure cutting through Leilani Estates on May 5, 2018, at the corner of Leilani Street and Pohoiki Road. Earlier, a crack opened on Pohoiki Road (right) just east of Leilani Street. #
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Leilani Estates resident Sam Knox watches the lava stretch across the road on May 5, 2018. Knox's home is less than a few hundred yards from the lava flow and he does not have any plans to evacuate. He said he was hopeful the lava will not take his home. #
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How Kilauea's 800-foot-wide Pu'u O'o crater appeared less than two weeks ago—completely full of lava, on April 23, 2018. For the previous month and a half, the crater floor of Pu'u O'o experienced ongoing uplift, which generated cracks on the crater floor. #
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How Kilauea's Pu'u O'o crater appeared on May 3, 2018—completely drained of lava. In this photo released by U.S. Geological Survey, a plume of ash rises from the Pu'u O'o vent on Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano. #
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