Kilauea erupts in the middle of a neighborhood with 150 foot fountains of lava as thousands flee

Kilauea has erupted with fountains of lava shooting 150 feet into the air, in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Ten thousand people have been evacuated. Kilauea is one of Hawaii's most active volcano, but that has not stopped people from living around it. 

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Kilauea erupted after a week of warnings. About ten thousand people have been evacuated.

Highlights

By Marshall Connolly (Catholic Online)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
5/4/2018 (5 years ago)

Published in U.S.

Keywords: Kilauea, volcano, Hawaii, eruption

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Residents of Hawaii's Big Island living near Kilauea have been on notice as the volcano showed signs of awakening in recent days. Yesterday, a 5.0 earthquake accompanied the opening of a more than 400-foot fissure in the Leilani Estates neighborhood through which lava began spewing in fountains over 150 feet tall. Smoke also began rising from the Puu Oo vent on Kilauea. 

The sudden eruption, though expected, still sent 10,000 people fleeing to evacuation zones and threatened the neighborhood with flows. 

So far, the activity appears limited to just one spot, and it has subsided. Yet, the danger exists for more activity at the location of the eruption and elsewhere. The danger is diminishing, but the area remains evacuated. There is a risk of sulfur dioxide gas which is common in volcanic eruptions. The gas can burn the lungs and suffocate victims within minutes. 

A crack in a residential neighborhood spewed lava in fountains, up to 150 ft high.

While calm appears to be returning, it can be misleading. Kilauea is an active volcano and activity has been constant for decades. Kilauea is a shield volcano, meaning the lava from it flows gently from its vents and spreads across a wide area. The volcano complex, which includes the larger Mauna Loa, produces picturesque fountains of lava and the volcanoes and their vents are a popular tourist destination. 

Other cracks have been observed since the initial eruption and lava has been spotted inside them, but it is a guess if the eruption will suddenly worsen or continue to subside.