At Least 26 Homes Ravaged After Volcano Erupts In Hawaii 

Since Friday, the Kilauea Volcano eruption has destroyed at least 26 homes on the Big Island’s Leilani Estates, Puna. The estates are a subdivision only an hour away from the Volcanoes National Park.

A 5.4 earthquake also struck the island followed by a fifth eruption which spewed lava into the suburban streets of the estate. An hour later another quake hit, this time even bigger at 6.9.

This tremor is reportedly the largest in Hawaii since 1975 and was felt as far as Oahu, triggering several landslides on the Hamakua Coast. 

The estate’s 1,700 resident community were evacuated following the eruption on Friday morning and housed in Red Cross shelters. In total, 31 structures have been destroyed along with multiple cars and utility poles.

Aerial footage from Friday’s eruption show lava flowing onto suburban streets.

On Sunday, residents were allowed a brief return to their homes to rescue pets and collect personal belongings and medication but because new fissures have been sighted, residents have been evacuated indefinitely.

According to Hawaii News Now, at least one fissure continued to spew lava throughout Sunday and only stopped at 4PM. Lava fountains reportedly reached heights of 100 feet (30 metres). Officials have warned residents not to return home without being granted access because of the dangerously high levels of sulphur dioxide currently present in the estate area. There are reportedly still 10 active lava fissures in Puna.

HNW reports Red Cross shelters have housed 240 residents and 90 pets while other residents have fled to family and friends.

Residents first reported signs of the eruption on Thursday afternoon when smoke begun to rise through cracks in the road.

Kilauea has been in constant eruption for 35 years and is one of the world’s oldest volcanoes.

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