"One Of My Streets Is On Fire," Hawaiian Volcano Erupts, Residents Evacuated
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HONOLULU (CBSMiami) - A Hawaiian residential community has been evacuated as lava from a nearby volcano is overflowing, pouring down some streets.
Fountains of lava spewed from the Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island as it began to erupt on Thursday. The lava, along with smoke and ash, spread into the Puna residential community of Leilani Estates, home to about 17-hundred people. They were all ordered to evacuate.
"It literally broke out right down the hill from our house I smelled it, ran to the corner, and that's when I ran into military officers who told me 'it's smoking' and I sure as hell take the turn and one of my favorite streets is on fire," said one resident.
The eruption followed a series of earthquakes on the island over the last couple of days, including a 5.0 tremor earlier in the morning. Hawaii county declared an emergency, allowing officials to close roads and free up money for relief efforts.
"We have employees and National Guards persons already onsite at the Hawaii Emergency Management Center," said Governor David Ige.
The Kilauea Volcano is one of five on the island. According to the US Geological Survey, lava has been flowing from the volcano for more than three decades, covering over 48-square-miles.
Experts say temperatures of the lava can reach around 21-hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
