Hawaiian authorities are urging sightseers to stay away as Leilani Estates residents return to check on their neighborhood, which is threatened by lava and toxic gases emerging from fissures in the subdivision.

Big Island’s Kilauea volcano erupted Thursday, spewing molten rock and high levels of sulfur dioxide.

Cracks emerged in the volcano’s East Rift Zone — an area of fissures miles away from the volcano’s summit. All residents of Leilani Estates, a community of about 1,700 people near Big Island’s eastern edge, and nearby Lanipuna Gardens were ordered to evacuate.

The eruption was followed by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake Friday.

So far, at least 35 structures have been destroyed, Hawaii’s Civil Defense said on Monday. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said that active venting of lava and hazardous fumes continued.

The Kilauea volcano has been erupting almost continuously since 1983, according to the US Geological Survey. Activity along the East Rift Zone has shifted down and then back up the rift, said CNN meteorologist Michael Guy. Each one of the episodes that has occurred in this 35-year period has lasted months to years, so there’s no definitive way to predict how the volcanic activity will last, Guy said.

Residents return briefly

Some Leilani Estates residents were able to return to their properties from Sunday to retrieve pets, medicine and vital documents.

Sunday evening, Civil Defense said Leilani residents would be able to check on their properties until further notice between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time, with authorities on the scene determining which areas were safe to enter.

“Please be aware that because of unstable conditions that involve toxic gas, earthquakes and lava activities, lines of safety can change at any time. You must be prepared to leave areas if required,” it said in a statement.

“Please, the residents of Leilani need your help. This is not the time for sightseeing. You can help tremendously by staying out of the area,” Civil Defense said, warning that police had established a policy of zero tolerance towards looting or vandalism.

“Under Emergency Provisions, any looting or vandalism will be treated as a felony,” the statement said.

Volcanic gases at Lanipuna Gardens meant residents did not have access to that neighborhood, it said.

Dangerous volcanic gases

The eruptions have released high levels of sulfur dioxide into the air, according to the civil defense agency. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says the gas can be life-threatening.

Breathing large amounts of sulfur dioxide can result in burning of the nose and throat, and breathing difficulties. Senior citizens, the young and people with respiratory issues are especially vulnerable to the gas, the state’s Emergency Management Agency said.

The Hawaii Department of Health has warned consumers that no masks sold to the general public in stores will protect against “the extremely dangerous volcanic gases” being released.

“First responders require special masks and training not available to private citizens,” the department said in a statement Sunday.

“The best way to protect yourself and your family from the extremely dangerous volcanic gases is to leave the immediate area of the volcano defined by the police and fire department,” it said.

Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator Talmadge Magno told CNN affiliate KHON Saturday that some first responders had been affected by the gasses on the first night when levels were particularly high — experiencing “headaches and so forth” — but that they had recovered.

The American Red Cross has opened two shelters at the Pahoa and Keaau Community Centers, where some evacuees have gathered while they await news about their homes.

Mayor Harry Lim said on Twitter Sunday that an eruption information center would open in Pahoa Monday to address questions from those affected.

The Hawaii State Department of Education said that all public schools on Big Island would be open Monday but that students absent due to evacuations would not be penalized. It said in a statement that school buildings had been checked for earthquake damage and found to be safe.

Uncertainty

Corey Hale is one of the residents staying at the Pahoa Community Center. She was originally staying with a friend, but later chose to camp out in the parking lot.

“I wanted to be around a lot of people,” Hale said. “It just felt better.” Volunteers there have kept evacuees safe, well-fed and have plenty of hot coffee ready in the mornings.

Still, Hale wishes she’d been able to get more things from her home in Lanipuna Gardens before she left, like a compass that belonged to her great-grandfather, and other family heirlooms.

“At this point, I’ve got what I’ve got on my back,” she said. “I didn’t realize until this morning, I’ve got one pair of shoes.”

Meantime, Leilani resident Shirley Doctor was able to return briefly to her house of 38 years Sunday.

Doctor told CNN affiliate KITV that her sons had invited friends to help her pack up.

“I came home to get my dogs, that was the most important thing. My dogs and my pig … Everything else is just material,” Doctor said.

Another resident, Steve Gebbie, told CNN’s Stephanie Elam on Saturday that he initially stayed home when evacuations were ordered. But when he saw lava tear through the streets near his Leilani Estates home, he knew he needed to leave.

He didn’t know what would become of his house, one he built with his own hands.

“Now it’s trying to figure out what the future brings. … My work. My job. Am I going to have to move to somewhere else on the island?”

“I’d have to start over at age 56,” Gebbie said. “That’s concerning.”

What’s important

Jordan Sonner has been staying with a friend since she fled her home right outside Leilani Estates.

When Sonner bought her property in 2016, she knew the neighborhood sat in the shadow of the Kilauea volcano.

She was also aware that one day the volcano could erupt, Sonner said, and lava could overtake the area. But she was more excited about her home and being a first-time homeowner.

“At the time, I understood it as a possibility,” she said. But she never thought it would be a reality.

Sonner was at work this week when she heard that lava had erupted in her neighborhood.

“It was a moment of panic,” she said, “because the only thing I knew was, ‘lava in Leilani.'”

After Hawaii’s false ballistic missile alert in January, Sonner realized she didn’t have an emergency plan. “I took that to heart, and I got myself and my dogs prepared just in case something were to happen.”

This time she was ready. She had bags packed with her clothes, important documents and whatever her dogs would need. The only other item she took was a chain necklace that belonged to her late father.

“I’ve always said that’s the only thing I would run back into a burning building for, barring people and animals,” she said. “There wasn’t anything that important.” </s> Hawaii officials on Sunday upped the number of destroyed homes to "at least 9" in the wake of last week's eruption of the Kilauea volcano.

The news was revealed in a 8:15 a.m. update from Hawaii County.

"Hawaiian Volcano Observatory confirms 2 more fissures emerged between Leilani and Malama Street near Luana and Kupono Street last night, bringing the total number of fissures to 9 at this time," it also said.

Fissures are vents through which lava is emitted from the volcano.

The Kilauea volcano erupted Thursday. The area also has been affected by extremely high levels of sulfur gas, and by several earthquakes, including one that hit on Friday at a magnitude of 6.9.

The Leilani Estates subdivision on Hawaii's Big Island has been affected by the eruption and subsequent earthquakes.

"Conditions permitting, Leilani Estates residents with property between Highway 130 and Maile Street will be allowed to enter the subdivision to complete evacuation of pets, medicine and vital documents left behind between the hours of 8 AM to 6 PM," Hawaii County officials said Sunday morning.

"I have no idea how soon we can get back," Todd Corrigan, a resident of the Leilani Estates subdivision, said.

He said he and his wife left Friday as lava burst through the ground three or four blocks from their home. They spent the night on the beach in their car and began looking for a vacation rental.

HAWAII’S KILAUEA VOLCANO ERUPTS, MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ORDERED FOR MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE

Fox News' Zoe Szathmary and The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> The texts and calls to John Tarson, a tour operator in Hawaii who has taken thousands of visitors to see lava flowing from the Kilauea volcano over the years, began soon after last week's spectacular eruptions.

There were expressions of concern for the residents on the island's eastern edge who were forced to flee their homes, and about his own safety. There were exclamations of fear and awe at the lava spreading across the land. And then, some version of the question: "Can we go watch?"

To those, Tarson, 37, had an easy response; Business was closed. "At this point our efforts are all going to be to help the community that is suffering losses."

The natural wonder that is the Kilauea volcano is the main attraction of Hawaii's Big Island, with nearly all of its 2 million annual visitors making a stop in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. But as the volcano and the surrounding area transformed into a natural disaster, leaving almost three dozen structures destroyed, residents, officials and tourists alike wrestled with its dual nature.

Twelve fissures have emerged, sending lava into the Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens subdivisions, where about 1,800 people live. Last week, Hawaii County ordered the subdivisions evacuated. Thirty-five structures have been destroyed, according to the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency. No deaths or injuries have been reported.

The authorities began allowing residents of Leilani Estates to retrieve their belongings Sunday, while Lanipuna Gardens remained closed because of dangerous volcanic gases.

The island has been hit by hundreds of earthquakes in recent days, and more aftershocks were expected, officials said.

Heath Dalton, who lives in Leilani Estates and was evacuated Friday, returned to his home Sunday morning. He drove a truck and trailer, planning to pick up possessions that he had packed earlier. Instead, he found his home engulfed.

He called two neighbours to tell them their houses were gone. "I look at mine and I can see my house burning," said Dalton, who was unharmed. "At that point I called my wife and said, 'There's no reason for you to come; there's nothing to get.'" </s> HAWAII — Kilauea volcano erupted and released lava into a residential area in Hawaii on Thursday, leading to mandatory evacuations of nearby homes.

The eruption affected Leilani Estates, a subdivision in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea volcano, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

“Shortly before 5 p.m., lava was confirmed at the surface in the eastern end of the subdivision,” it said.

The Hawaii County Civil Defense asked residents in Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens to evacuate to a local community center, which is serving as a shelter.

About 1,700 people in the Leilani Estates area are under the evacuation order, according to Cindy McMillan, the governor’s spokeswoman.

Gov. David Ige said he’s activated the Hawaii National Guard to help with evacuations and security.

“I urge residents in Leilani Estates and the surrounding areas to follow instructions. … Please be alert and prepare now to keep your family safe,” he tweeted.

The evacuation comes after hundreds of earthquakes shook the eastern side of the Big Island.

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude of the most severe quake was 5. It hit Thursday morning and, within half an hour, two more quakes rattled the area, registering at 2.5 and 2.7. There have been a total of six smaller earthquakes since the biggest one, the agency said.

The frequency of the minor earthquakes decreased Thursday compared to the preceding days, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said in a statement.

Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It’s located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has since closed off nearly 15,700 acres due to “the possibility of a new eruption and unstable geologic activity.” But most of the park remains open, the park said in a statement.

Since Monday, hundreds of earthquakes — most of them around 2.0 magnitude — have been recorded in the area. The series of earthquakes came after a collapse of a crater floor of Puʻu ʻŌʻō, which is a volcanic cone in the eastern rift zone of the Kīlauea Volcano.

Since that collapse, about 250 earthquakes were reported in the area into Tuesday evening, according to a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory status report.

The tremors have been going on for days now, jarring residents, who’ve been reporting nearly constant ground vibrations in some areas. Residents in the area have also reported cracks on roads.

“It has now become unnerving,” Carol Shepard, a resident, told CNN affiliate KHON.

She said the flurry of earthquakes seemed to happen every minute.

“It’d be like the house would shake. It’d be like somebody that weighs 300 pounds came in my living room, and jumped up and down,” she said. </s> After weeks of steadily flowing to the ocean in a self-contained channel, lava from fissure 8 began spilling over into Leilani Estates, destroying more homes in the subdivision, according to Hawaii County officials.

After weeks of steadily flowing to the ocean in a self-contained channel, lava from fissure 8 began spilling over into Leilani Estates, destroying more homes in the subdivision, according to Hawaii County officials.

Hawaii Civil Defense said Wednesday afternoon that three homes were destroyed by breakouts that occurred Wednesday, but the breakouts have since stalled.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported earlier that two of the consumed homes were on Luana Street, while a home on Nohea Street was being threatened.

At least 700 homes across several subdivisions have been destroyed since Kilauea began erupting along the lower East Rift Zone on May 3.

Lava from fissure 8 has been feeding a fast-moving flow heading northeast to the ocean at Kapoho. A flow moving around the west side of Kapoho Cone has proceeded to within a quarter-mile of the coast, HVO said.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Recovery Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends at the Keaau High School Gym. </s> Kilauea volcano erupted and released lava into a residential area in Hawaii on Thursday, leading to mandatory evacuations of nearby homes.

The eruption affected Leilani Estates, a subdivision in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea volcano, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

“Shortly before 5 p.m., lava was confirmed at the surface in the eastern end of the subdivision,” it said.

The Hawaii County Civil Defense asked residents in Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens to evacuate to a local community center, which is serving as a shelter.

About 1,700 people in the Leilani Estates area are under the evacuation order, according to Cindy McMillan, the governor’s spokeswoman.

Gov. David Ige said he’s activated the Hawaii National Guard to help with evacuations and security.

“I urge residents in Leilani Estates and the surrounding areas to follow instructions. … Please be alert and prepare now to keep your family safe,” he tweeted.

The evacuation comes after hundreds of earthquakes shook the eastern side of the Big Island.

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude of the most severe quake was 5. It hit Thursday morning and, within half an hour, two more quakes rattled the area, registering at 2.5 and 2.7. There have been a total of six smaller earthquakes since the biggest one, the agency said.

The frequency of the minor earthquakes decreased Thursday compared to the preceding days, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said in a statement.

Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It’s located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has since closed off nearly 15,700 acres due to “the possibility of a new eruption and unstable geologic activity.” But most of the park remains open, the park said in a statement.

Since Monday, hundreds of earthquakes — most of them around 2.0 magnitude — have been recorded in the area. The series of earthquakes came after a collapse of a crater floor of Puʻu ʻŌʻō, which is a volcanic cone in the eastern rift zone of the Kīlauea Volcano.

Since that collapse, about 250 earthquakes were reported in the area into Tuesday evening, according to a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory status report.

The tremors have been going on for days now, jarring residents, who’ve been reporting nearly constant ground vibrations in some areas. Residents in the area have also reported cracks on roads.

“It has now become unnerving,” Carol Shepard, a resident, told CNN affiliate KHON.

She said the flurry of earthquakes seemed to happen every minute.

“It’d be like the house would shake. It’d be like somebody that weighs 300 pounds came in my living room, and jumped up and down,” she said. </s> (CNN) — Kilauea volcano erupted and released lava into a residential area in Hawaii on Thursday, leading to mandatory evacuations of nearby homes.

The eruption affected Leilani Estates, a subdivision in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea volcano, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

“Shortly before 5 p.m., lava was confirmed at the surface in the eastern end of the subdivision,” it said.

The Hawaii County Civil Defense asked residents in Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens to evacuate to a local community center, which is serving as a shelter.

About 1,700 people in the Leilani Estates area are under the evacuation order, according to Cindy McMillan, the governor’s spokeswoman.

Gov. David Ige said he’s activated the Hawaii National Guard to help with evacuations and security.

“I urge residents in Leilani Estates and the surrounding areas to follow instructions. … Please be alert and prepare now to keep your family safe,” he tweeted.

The evacuation comes after hundreds of earthquakes shook the eastern side of the Big Island.

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude of the most severe quake was 5. It hit Thursday morning and, within half an hour, two more quakes rattled the area, registering at 2.5 and 2.7. There have been a total of six smaller earthquakes since the biggest one, the agency said.

The frequency of the minor earthquakes decreased Thursday compared to the preceding days, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said in a statement.

Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It’s located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has since closed off nearly 15,700 acres due to “the possibility of a new eruption and unstable geologic activity.” But most of the park remains open, the park said in a statement.

Since Monday, hundreds of earthquakes — most of them around 2.0 magnitude — have been recorded in the area. The series of earthquakes came after a collapse of a crater floor of Puʻu ʻŌʻō, which is a volcanic cone in the eastern rift zone of the Kīlauea Volcano.

Since that collapse, about 250 earthquakes were reported in the area on Tuesday evening, according to a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory status report.

The tremors have been going on for days now, jarring residents, who’ve been reporting nearly constant ground vibrations in some areas. Residents in the area have also reported cracks on roads.

“It has now become unnerving,” Carol Shepard, a resident, told CNN affiliate KHON.

She said the flurry of earthquakes seemed to happen every minute.

“It’d be like the house would shake. It’d be like somebody that weighs 300 pounds came in my living room, and jumped up and down,” she said. </s> PAHOA, Hawaii (Reuters) - Lava spewing in fountains up to 300 feet high from an erupting Hawaiian volcano has destroyed 35 homes and other buildings, officials said on Monday, warning residents allowed brief visits to their properties to be prepared to flee at a moment’s notice.

(Hawaii's Kilauea volcano: tmsnrt.rs/2rmXdVZ)

Many of the 1,700 people under orders to evacuate from the Leilani Estates neighborhood on the eastern side of the Big Island were permitted to return home during daylight hours on Sunday and Monday, during a lull in seismic activity from Kilauea.

“Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice,” the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said in an alert on its website. Residents of a second area, Lanipuna Gardens, were barred from returning home on Monday due to deadly volcanic gases.

Leilani Estates, some 12 miles from the volcano, was evacuated due to the risk of sulfur dioxide gas, which can be life threatening at high levels.

“Please, the residents of Leilani need our help. This is not the time for sightseeing. You can help tremendously by staying out of the area,” the agency said.

Kilauea, which began exploding on Thursday with fountains and rivers of lava flowing into neighborhoods, has opened 10 volcanic vents since then, officials said. Lava was not flowing from any of the vents on Monday.

So far, no deaths or major injuries have been reported, but the civil defense agency said at least 35 structures had been destroyed, many of them homes.

The southeast corner of the island was rocked by a powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake on the volcano’s south flank on Friday, the strongest tremor since 1975, and more earthquakes and eruptions have been forecast, perhaps for months to come.

Residents of the Leilani Estates subdivision pass a checkpoint while driving to their homes to pick up belongings after being evacuated due to eruptions of the Kilauea Volcano on Monday in Pahoa, Hawaii, U.S., May 7, 2018. REUTERS/Terray Sylvester

Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes and one of five on the island, has been in constant eruption for 35 years. It predominantly blows off basaltic lava in effusive eruptions that flow into the ocean but occasionally experiences more explosive events.

“It’s been a bit of a chaotic week, a very stressful situation. It’s one of those hopeless, helpless outlooks. It’s hard to explain but the lava is right behind my house and it’s pretty surreal,” Leilani Estates homeowner Jared McManus told Reuters.

The Hawaii Star-Advertiser newspaper reported that a Hawaii-based utility, Puna Geothermal Venture, had 60,000 gallons (227,124 liters) of flammable pentane gas stored in the area that could not be removed until containers were delivered.

Some area residents returned for pets, medications and to check property on Sunday and Monday. Jeremy Wilson found his home surrounded by fissures hundreds of feet long.

“My house is right in the middle,” said Wilson, a 36-year-old social worker who turned back when he saw steam coming from cracks in the road.

The semi-rural wooded area had become a magnet for newcomers to the Big Island of Hawaii, home to about 200,000 people, who were prepared to risk living near an active volcano for more affordable real estate.

Jessica Gauthier, 47, said she and other local real estate agents had seen vacation renters cancel their reservations, though the volcanic activity is far from tourist centers.

“There’s no way to know that if you’re sitting in your living room in Ohio and watching the national news,” she said.

Hawaii’s 4,028-square-mile Big Island accounts for less than a fifth of the state’s tourism. State data show that in the first three months of 2018, 16 percent of the $4.81 billion visitors spent in Hawaii came from the Big Island, less than half of the levels seen in Oahu and Maui.

Slideshow (12 Images)

Gauthier predicted tourism would pick back up as a new kind of visitor began to appear.

“Within a month we’ll start getting lava tourists,” she said. </s> Honolulu, May 4 (IANS) The Kilauea volcano, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has erupted leading to the evacuation of around 1,700 people in the area, media reported.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory confirmed the eruption on Thursday that affected Leilani. Authorities asked residents to evacuate to a nearby community centre.

The Hawaii National Guard was helping with the evacuations and security.

The evacuation comes after hundreds of shocks off the Big Island. The US Geological Survey said the highest magnitude was five on the Richter scale.

Kilauea is located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has since closed off nearly 15,700 acres given the possibility of new eruptions due to unstable geologic activity.
Hawaiian volcano Kīlauea begins erupting at the Leilani Estates subdivision, spurring a mandatory evacuation order of residents.