Fresh eruptions in Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano

Fresh eruptions sending fountains of lava 30m (100ft) out of the ground have taken place on Hawaii’s Big Island, destroying several homes. The Civil Defense Agency said there were fissures on three streets and told any remaining residents to evacuate.

It said there were deadly levels of dangerous sulphur dioxide gas in the air and emergency crews would not be able to help anyone affected. The new activity comes a day after Kilauea volcano erupted.

A number of increasingly strong earthquakes rocked the area after the eruption, with the US Geological Survey (USGS) reporting a 6.9 magnitude quake south-east of the volcano.

The new volcanic activity in Mt Kilauea’s lower east rift zone amounted to “vigorous lava spattering”, the USGS said, adding that additional outbreaks in the area were likely.

Earlier, the governor of Hawaii has declared a local state of emergency in the vicinity of the Mount Kilauea volcano following an eruption late yesterday on the state’s Big Island. Dramatic video footage of the eruption showed plumes of magma shooting into the air, while lava poured from a fissure that opened up near a residential area.

Hawaii County Civil Defense has ordered mandatory evacuations for the over 1,700 resident who live in the several immediate subdivisions near the volcano. More than 10,000 people live in the vicinity of the volcano.