Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park reports that due to the possibility of a new eruption and unstable geologic activity, park management closed 15,688 acres near Kīlauea Volcano’s Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent to the ocean today, including the gravel emergency access road from the eastern gate near Kalapana, to the western gate at the end of Chain of Craters Road, and all land on the makai (ocean) side of the emergency road.

“The recent eruption changes and increased seismicity around the East Rift Zone and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent may threaten land and the community outside the park,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “The partial closure in the park is necessary to prevent unsafe travel onto lands under the jurisdiction of Hawai‘i County and to keep people safe. Most of the park, which is 333,308 acres in size, remains open.”

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On Monday afternoon, April 30, the crater within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō collapsed, and a flurry of low magnitude earthquakes continues to shake the eastern side of the island, particularly communities in lower Puna. A small fissure opened to the west of the vent on Tuesday, May 1, but scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory report that an intrusion of magma is heading eastward from the vent towards Highway 130.

Puna residents are encouraged to sign up for Hawai‘i County Civil Defense messages at http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts/, and to subscribe to volcanic updates via USGS: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/.

The current eruption at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is off limits to hikers. However, the summit of Kīlauea continues to erupt within Halema‘uma‘u Crater within the park, and is best viewed from the Jaggar Museum overlook. The lava lake within the crater has risen dramatically since April 21, and has occasionally spilled onto the crater floor. The park is open 24 hours a day. </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> 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> (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> (CNN) — Hundreds of earthquakes in Hawaii are shaking the eastern side of the Big Island, and authorities are concerned that the Kilauea Volcano could erupt.

The US Geological Survey revised the magnitude of the most severe quake to a 5, from the 4.6 reported earlier. It hit at 10:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. Within half an hour, two more quakes came, registering at 2.5 and 2.7. There have been a total of six smaller earthquakes since the biggest one, the agency said.

County spokeswoman Janet Snyder said authorities have issued a mandatory evacuation order for a portion of Leilani Estates, a subdivision in the Puna District on Hawaii Island.

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

However, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has indicated that a volcanic eruption was “possible but not imminent,” the agency said.

Residents in the area should prepare and review emergency plans in case of evacuation, the civil defense agency warned on Wednesday.

Officials are keeping watch on Kilauea, which 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, according to its 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.

“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.

Residents in the area have also reported cracks emerging on roads.

The US Geological Survey said no steam or heat were seen escaping from the cracks, and they were small — about several inches across. These cracks are appearing from “deformation of the ground surface due to the underlying intrusion of magma” — which is molten rock that is underground, according to the agency.

“An outbreak of lava from the lower East Rift Zone remains a possible outcome of the continued unrest,” according to USGS in a Wednesday night update. “At this time it is not possible to say with certainty if or where such an outbreak may occur, but the area downrift (east) of Pu’u ‘Ō’ō remains the most likely location.”

It’s not possible to predict where an eruption could occur, but the areas that could be affected include the communities of Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates or Kapoho, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency stated.

It urged residents to prepare emergency plans and to stay informed for updates. </s> Hundreds of earthquakes in Hawaii are shaking the eastern side of the Big Island, and authorities are concerned that the Kilauea Volcano could erupt.

The US Geological Survey revised the magnitude of the most severe quake to a 5, from the 4.6 reported earlier. It hit at 10:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. Within half an hour, two more quakes came, registering at 2.5 and 2.7. There have been a total of six smaller earthquakes since the biggest one, the agency said.

County spokeswoman Janet Snyder said authorities have issued a mandatory evacuation order for a portion of Leilani Estates, a subdivision in the Puna District on Hawaii Island.

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

However, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has indicated that a volcanic eruption was “possible but not imminent,” the agency said.

Residents in the area should prepare and review emergency plans in case of evacuation, the civil defense agency warned on Wednesday.

Officials are keeping watch on Kilauea, which 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, according to its 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.

“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.

Residents in the area have also reported cracks emerging on roads.

The US Geological Survey said no steam or heat were seen escaping from the cracks, and they were small — about several inches across. These cracks are appearing from “deformation of the ground surface due to the underlying intrusion of magma” — which is molten rock that is underground, according to the agency.

“An outbreak of lava from the lower East Rift Zone remains a possible outcome of the continued unrest,” according to USGS in a Wednesday night update. “At this time it is not possible to say with certainty if or where such an outbreak may occur, but the area downrift (east) of Pu’u ‘Ō’ō remains the most likely location.”

It’s not possible to predict where an eruption could occur, but the areas that could be affected include the communities of Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates or Kapoho, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency stated.

It urged residents to prepare emergency plans and to stay informed for updates. </s> HONOLULU — Hundreds of earthquakes in Hawaii are shaking the eastern side of the Big Island, and authorities are concerned that the Kilauea Volcano could erupt.

The US Geological Survey revised the magnitude of the most severe quake to a 5, from the 4.6 reported earlier. It hit at 10:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. Within half an hour, two more quakes came, registering at 2.5 and 2.7. There have been a total of six smaller earthquakes since the biggest one, the agency said.

County spokeswoman Janet Snyder said authorities have issued a mandatory evacuation order for a portion of Leilani Estates, a subdivision in the Puna District on Hawaii Island.

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

However, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has indicated that a volcanic eruption was “possible but not imminent,” the agency said.

Residents in the area should prepare and review emergency plans in case of evacuation, the civil defense agency warned on Wednesday.

Officials are keeping watch on Kilauea, which 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, according to its 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.

“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.

Residents in the area have also reported cracks emerging on roads.

The US Geological Survey said no steam or heat were seen escaping from the cracks, and they were small — about several inches across. These cracks are appearing from “deformation of the ground surface due to the underlying intrusion of magma” — which is molten rock that is underground, according to the agency.

“An outbreak of lava from the lower East Rift Zone remains a possible outcome of the continued unrest,” according to USGS in a Wednesday night update. “At this time it is not possible to say with certainty if or where such an outbreak may occur, but the area downrift (east) of Pu’u ‘Ō’ō remains the most likely location.”

It’s not possible to predict where an eruption could occur, but the areas that could be affected include the communities of Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates or Kapoho, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency stated.

It urged residents to prepare emergency plans and to stay informed for updates. </s> (CNN) Hundreds of small earthquakes in Hawaii are shaking the eastern side of Big Island, prompting concerns that Kilauea Volcano could erupt.

Residents in the area should prepare and review emergency plans in case of evacuation, warned the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency on Wednesday

Officials are keeping watch on Kilauea Volcano, which is one of the world's most active volcanos.

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, according to its 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 on Monday, about 250 earthquakes were reported in the area into Tuesday evening, according to 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.

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.

Residents in the area have also reported cracks emerging on roads.

The US Geological Survey said no steam or heat were seen escaping from the cracks, and they were small -- about several inches across. These cracks are appearing from "deformation of the ground surface due to the underlying intrusion of magma" -- which is molten rock that is underground, according to the agency.

"An outbreak of lava from the lower East Rift Zone remains a possible outcome of the continued unrest," according to USGS in a Wednesday night update. "At this time it is not possible to say with certainty if or where such an outbreak may occur, but the area downrift (east) of Pu'u 'Ō'ō remains the most likely location."

It's not possible to predict where an eruption could occur, but the areas that could be affected include the communities of Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates or Kapoho, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency stated.

It urged residents to prepare emergency plans and to stay informed for updates. </s> (CNN) Hundreds of earthquakes in Hawaii are shaking the eastern side of the Big Island, and authorities are concerned that the Kilauea Volcano could erupt.

The US Geological Survey revised the magnitude of the most severe quake to a 5, from the 4.6 reported earlier. It hit at 10:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. Within half an hour, two more quakes came, registering at 2.5 and 2.7. There have been a total of six smaller earthquakes since the biggest one, the agency said.

County spokeswoman Janet Snyder said authorities have issued a mandatory evacuation order for a portion of Leilani Estates, a subdivision in the Puna District on Hawaii Island.

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

However, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has indicated that a volcanic eruption was "possible but not imminent," the agency said.

Officials are keeping watch on Kilauea, which 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, according to its 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.

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.

Residents in the area have also reported cracks emerging on roads.

The US Geological Survey said no steam or heat were seen escaping from the cracks, and they were small -- about several inches across. These cracks are appearing from "deformation of the ground surface due to the underlying intrusion of magma" -- which is molten rock that is underground, according to the agency.

"An outbreak of lava from the lower East Rift Zone remains a possible outcome of the continued unrest," according to USGS in a Wednesday night update. "At this time it is not possible to say with certainty if or where such an outbreak may occur, but the area downrift (east) of Pu'u 'Ō'ō remains the most likely location."

It's not possible to predict where an eruption could occur, but the areas that could be affected include the communities of Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates or Kapoho, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency stated.

It urged residents to prepare emergency plans and to stay informed for updates.
After over 600 earthquakes, including a magnitude 5.0 at Kīlauea, parts of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park have struck, causing the nearby Puʻu ʻŌʻō, to close due to fears of an eruption. The volcano erupted and evacuations were issued.