A Hawaii man returned to his home on Big Island to find lava erupting from his back garden
A Hawaiian man returned to his home on Big Island to find a fountain of molten lava erupting in his back garden.
Keith Brock, whose home was one of at least 36 buildings destroyed by the exploding Kilauea volcano, had come back to gather his belongings.
Instead, he was met with the terrifying sight of molten lava shooting high above the trees in the once-idyllic Leilani Estates.
He said the eruptions were “deafening”, adding: “The ground was bouncing up and down… It was hard to hold the camera still.”
Brock was one of around 1,700 forced from their homes as lava poured from cracks in the ground – made worse by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake on Friday.
Dramatic images showed moving walls of lava destroying everything in their path and two new fissures releasing toxic gases into the air.
Emergency crews have ordered Hawaii residents to leave their homes almost a week after Kilauea started erupting.
Those in the Lanipuna Gardens neighbourhood were told there was “immediate danger”, though no deaths have been reported.
Kilauea started spewing fountains of lava as high as 300ft (90m) into the air on Thursday.
Meanwhile, slow-moving molten rock has destroyed several houses in the south-east corner as deadly volcanic gases rose through cracks in the earth.
Amber mum-of-two Makuakane Kane, 37, said her three-bedroom house in Leilani Estates was destroyed by lava.
Keith Brock’s home is one of at least 36 buildings to be destroyed by the exploding Kilauea volcano
The dwelling was across from a fissure that opened Friday, when “there was some steam rising from all parts of the yard, but everything looked fine,” Makuakane said.
On Saturday, the teacher received alerts from her security system that motion sensors throughout the house had been triggered.
“It’s devastating … but I’ve come to terms with it,” said the heartbroken resident.
Lava has spread to around 387,500 square feet around the island but it is moving slowly.
There has been no indication when the lava might stop – or how far it might ultimately spread.
Officials warn it could continue to flow downhill and the toxic volcanic gas may prove fatal to the elderly and those with breathing problems.
“There’s more magma in the system to be erupted,” said US Geological Survey volcanologist Wendy Stovall. “As long as supply is there, the eruption will continue.”
There are now 14 lava and gas-producing fissures in Leilani Estates, after the two new ones formed Tuesday.
About 250 people and 90 pets spent Saturday night at shelters, the American Red Cross said.
Hawaii Governor David Ige told evacuees he has called the White House to tell officials they will need state aid.
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Source: The Sun UK
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