Leilani Estates, Hawaii, Being Evacuated, Lava Erupts From Ground As Kilauea Rumbles
UPDATE: 12:50 a.m. EDT — In addition to Pahoa Community Center, a second evacuation center was opened at Keeau Community Center, for residents of Leilani Estates, following lava spewing out of a fissure in the area.
Highway 132 at Pohoiki Road, which was one of the evacuation routes, was closed, Hawaii News Nowreported.
“I urge residents in Leilani Estates and the surrounding areas to follow instructions from the County of Hawai‘i’s Civil Defense Agency. Please be alert and prepare now to keep your family safe,” Hawaii Governor David Ige tweeted.
Hawaii Mayor Harry Kim wrote: “Hawaii County Civil Defense is on high alert on a 24-hour basis for possibility of eruption in lower Puna. All areas bordering East Rift Zone at high risk for eruption.”
According to National Weather Service of Honolulu, National guard was mobilized to help with evacuations at Leilani Estates. In addition, residents of Hilo, Hawaii was informed that they could experience power cuts as Puna Geothermal plant was shut down.
The State Department of Education in Hawaii tweeted saying that Pahoa-Keaau Complex Area schools were not affected by the eruption in Leilani Estates and that the schools will be open tomorrow.
Original Story:
Following an earthquake of magnitude 5.0, and a number of minor tremors in eastern Hawaii on Thursday, which threatened the eruption of Kilauea – the region’s most active volcano – officials ordered emergency evacuations.
According to Express, Tina Neal, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist-in-charge, said: “It appears that ground shaking from the earthquake caused rockfalls in the Pu'u O'o crater on Kilauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone, which resulted in a short-lived plume of reddish ash rising above the cone.”
Hours after pink smoke was seen coming out of the Kilauea volcano Thursday, residents of the Leilani Estates in lower Puna, Hawaii, took to social media to post videos of a fissure that had opened on a street, from which lava was being spewed up 20 feet into the air.
Hawaii Mayor David Ige tweeted: “I am in contact with @MayorHarryKim, and the state is actively supporting the county’s emergency response efforts. I have activated the Hawai‘i National Guard to provide support to county emergency response personnel to help with evacuations and security.”
Evacuations were commenced around 4 p.m. local time (10 p.m. EDT).
Public schools were closed in the area, as a result of the volcanic activity, and a number of evacuation shelters were set up. The American Red Cross opened a shelter for evacuated residents at the Pahoa Community Center, 15-3022 Kauhale Street, Pahoa, Hawaii.
No injuries were reported at the time of writing this story.
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