PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — The Latest on the eruption of a Hawaii volcano that sent molten lava through forest land and bubbling up on paved streets (all times local):
3:10 p.m.
Authorities say a magnitude-6.9 earthquake that hit Hawaii’s Big Island is the largest to strike in more than four decades.
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center Director Chip McCreery says a magnitude-7.5 earthquake rocked the island in 1975. Magnitude-6.7 earthquakes hit in 1983 and 2006.
Friday’s temblor came amid a series of quakes as lava breaks out from new vents in the Earth from Kilauea volcano.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb says scientists are processing data from the earthquakes to see if they’re affecting the eruption.
She says magma is moving down the rift zones, which stresses the south flank of the volcano.
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1:50 p.m.
There are no immediate reports of major damage after a large earthquake struck Hawaii’s Big Island near a volcanic eruption that has forced residents to evacuate from their homes.
Hawaii National Guard spokesman Maj. Jeff Hickman says the Hilo airport and the highways didn’t sustain any damage from Friday’s magnitude-6.9 quake.
Hawaii County spokeswoman Janet Snyder says the county has yet to conduct a damage assessment.
State Sen. Russell Ruderman says he could feel strong shaking in Hilo. He says merchandise fell off the shelves in a natural food store he owns. He also felt shaking during an earlier magnitude-5.4 earthquake.
He says residents are stressed out about earthquakes while coping with a lava threat from Kilauea volcano that has burned two homes.
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1:30 p.m.
The U.S. Geological Survey says a second large earthquake of magnitude-6.9 has struck on Hawaii’s Big Island near a volcanic eruption that has forced residents to evacuate their rural homes.
The earthquake hit about 12:33 p.m. Friday and was centered near the south flank of Kilauea volcano.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says the quake wasn’t strong enough to cause a tsunami. No tsunami threat or advisory is in place.
The state transportation department says on Twitter that no damage has been reported to roads.
Before the quake, Hawaii County Civil Defense said a new vent opened near an intersection. There is no activity at a geothermal power plant, which has been taken offline.
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12:30 p.m.
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-5.4 earthquake has struck Hawaii’s Big Island near where a volcanic eruption has forced residents to evacuate from their rural homes.
Hawaii County Civil Defense says Friday’s earthquake was centered near the south flank of Kilauea volcano. Officials say there’s no tsunami threat to the Big Island.
After a week of earthquakes and warning, an eruption began Thursday and continued Friday, with lava spurting from three volcanic vents.
Acting Mayor Wil Okabe says officials are trying to confirm a fourth vent.
He says two homes have burned. He says one owner lives on the U.S. mainland and officials are trying to find the owner of the second home, who is likely in a shelter. Officials are trying to confirm the extent of the damage, but Okabe says the houses likely burned completely.
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12:15 p.m.
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-5.0 earthquake has struck Hawaii’s Big Island near where a volcanic eruption has forced residents to evacuate from their rural homes.
Hawaii County Civil Defense says Friday’s earthquake was centered near the south flank of Kilauea volcano. Officials say there’s no tsunami threat to the Big Island.
After a week of earthquakes and warnings, the eruption that began Thursday threw lava into the sky from a crack in a road and sent another line of molten rock snaking through a forest. The activity continued Friday, with reports of lava spurting from volcanic vents on two streets.
People reported to the Geological Survey’s website that they felt light to moderate shaking from Friday’s earthquake. It had a depth of 4.2 miles (6.9 kilometers).
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11:45 a.m.
Some residents living near spattering lava in Hawaii are frustrated that they’re not being allowed to go home.
Hawaii County has issued a mandatory evacuation order for neighborhoods near the lava flow in the mostly rural Puna district of the Big Island. In addition to the danger from lava, civil defense officials are warning the public about high levels of sulfur dioxide.
Brad Stanfill says the lava is more than three miles (5 kilometers) from his house but he’s still not being allowed in. He wants go home to feed his pets and check on his property. He’s concerned about reports of looting.
One woman angrily told police guarding Leilani Estates she was going into the area and they couldn’t arrest her. She stormed past the police unopposed.
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11:20 a.m.
Julie Woolsey is hoping the home she built on Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano won’t burn down.
She lives on a street in the rural Big Island subdivision where a volcanic vent opened up on Thursday. Lava was about 1,000 yards (914 meters) from her house.
She let her chickens loose, loaded her dogs into her truck and evacuated with her daughter and grandson.
At least 1,500 residents in her Leilani Estates subdivision were ordered to evacuate, along with residents of the nearby Lanipuna Gardens subdivision.
State Sen. Russell Ruderman, a Democrat who represents the rural district where the subdivisions are located, estimates no more than 50 people live in Lanipuna.
Woolsey is originally from Oregon and purchased her lot for $35,000 11 years ago after living on Maui became too expensive.
She says she knew she was building on an active volcano but thought a lava threat was a remote possibility.
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11 a.m.
Hawaii officials say two homes in a rural Big Island subdivision have been burned by lava from an erupting volcano.
Hawaii County spokeswoman Janet Snyder said Friday that authorities are still confirming the extent of the damage.
Scientists say at least three small fissure vents where lava can erupt have opened up in the subdivision after Kilauea volcano erupted.
The U.S. Geological Survey says as of Friday morning there’s lava spattering and creating short flows that haven’t traveled more than 33 feet (10 meters) from the vents.
The USGS says additional fissure vents in the area are likely.
Officials have ordered that residents evacuate from two subdivisions.
After a week of earthquakes and warnings, the eruption that began Thursday threw lava into the sky from a crack in a road and sent another line of molten rock snaking through a forest.
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9:15 a.m.
A woman who fled her home after Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupted says she first started getting nervous when she noticed cracks forming in her neighborhood streets.
Maija (MEYE’-uh) Stenback’s house sits just six blocks from a bubbling stream of lava.
She filmed it as the lava splattered across a street before she packed up her car and left with her daughter and grandchildren.
About 1,500 people were evacuated after the volcano erupted Thursday.
Stenbeck also says she smelled sulfur dioxide gas from the eruption. Authorities have warned the gas could hurt the elderly and people with breathing problems.
There were no immediate reports of injuries. At least 100 people were staying in shelters Friday. Stenback was staying with a friend.
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8 a.m.
Two housing subdivisions near Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano are under mandatory evacuation orders as the Big Island volcano’s eruption continues.
Civil defense officials said Friday in a statement that about 1,500 residents of the Leilani Subdivision were ordered to evacuate from about 770 buildings. Residents from the nearby, smaller Lanipuna Gardens Subdivision with 130 lots were also ordered out.
Officials say the eruption is ongoing with lava burning through forest land and bubbling up on two streets in Leilana Estates.
Fire officials also say high levels of dangerous sulfur dioxide gas have been detected in the evacuation zone. They say it’s important the elderly, young people and those with respiratory problems to leave immediately.
Two shelters have been opened for residents.
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6:20 a.m.
Hawaii civil defense officials say extremely high levels of sulfur dioxide gas have been detected in areas near the eruption of Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island.
They are warning people from those areas that it’s very important for elderly and young people and those with respiratory problems to leave immediately.
Exposure to sulfur dioxide gas can cause irritation or burns, sore throats, runny noses, burning eyes and coughing.
Nearly 1,500 residents were ordered to evacuate from their volcano-side homes after the volcano erupted and sent molten lava through forest land and bubbling up on paved streets.
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5:10 a.m.
Hawaii civil defense officials say the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island is still erupting.
The officials say in a statement Friday that volcanic vents are erupting on two streets and that residents of two communities are under evacuation orders.
The statement says local emergency officials and National Guard members are helping residents get out of their homes.
Two shelters are open and officials have said more than 100 people are staying at them.
Nearly 1,500 residents were ordered to evacuate from their volcano-side homes after the volcano erupted and sent molten lava through forest land and bubbling up on paved streets.
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3:55 a.m.
More than 100 people are staying the night in shelters after Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted.
The eruption sent molten lava through forests and bubbling up from paved streets and forced the evacuation of about 1,500 people who were still out of their homes Friday after Thursday’s eruption.
Henry Calio says he noticed cracks in the driveway of his retirement dream home in the community of Leilani Estates. His wife Stella then took a call from an official who told them to get out immediately.
The two feared that they might lose their home.
American Red Cross disaster services director Debbie Weeks says 100 people were staying in one shelter with about 20 more staying outside the shelter in their cars. Seven more people were staying at another shelter.
Weeks says many other evacuees were believed to have headed to the homes of relatives and friends.
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12 a.m.
Nearly 1,500 residents were ordered to evacuate from their volcano-side homes on Hawaii’s Big Island after the Kilauea Volcano erupted, sending molten lava to chew its way through forest land and bubble up on paved streets.
Officials couldn’t predict how long Thursday’s eruption may last. Hawaii’s governor activated the National Guard to help with evacuations and provide security for about 770 buildings left empty when residents sought shelter.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Hawaii County officials said steam and lava poured out of a crack in the community of Leilani Estates, near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island.
Images showed lava spurting into the sky from a crack in a road and a line of lava snaking through a forest.
Resident Jeremiah Osuna described the scene as a “curtain of fire.”
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