Residents ordered to evacuate as lava blasts from Kilauea volcano

Dangerous ‘vigorous’ lava eruptions have prompted a strict mandatory evacuation order for the Hawaii community hardest hit by the Kilauea Volcano.

Those who snub the order risk being arrested, as the Big Island’s mayor, Harry Kim, declared a roughly 17-block swath of the lava-stricken Leilani Estates subdivision off-limits indefinitely, and gave any residents remaining there 24 hours to leave.

The area was ordered to be sealed off to people on Thursday as the eruption marked its fourth week with no end in sight. Recent images captured by NASA, based on its satellite observations, revealed the mean lava flow has been spreading at a rate of ‘nearly 2.6m/minute’.

Fissure 8: lava continues to flow from the vent at a high rate, feeding a massive river that meanders toward Kapoho, while reactivated fissure 18 feeds a flow advancing in the direction of Ahalanui Park, Pahoa, Hawaii

This shot from Paradise Helicopters shows Kilauea's lower east rift zone eruption. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for the Leilani Estates subdivision

This shot from Paradise Helicopters shows Kilauea’s lower east rift zone eruption. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for the Leilani Estates subdivision

The Big Island's mayor, Harry Kim, declared a roughly 17-block swath of the lava-stricken Leilani Estates subdivision off-limits indefinitely, and gave any residents remaining there 24 hours to leave

The Big Island’s mayor, Harry Kim, declared a roughly 17-block swath of the lava-stricken Leilani Estates subdivision off-limits indefinitely, and gave any residents remaining there 24 hours to leave

The mandatory evacuation zone lies within a slightly larger area that was already under a voluntary evacuation and curfew.

Following a Civil Defense message, issued May 31, the Mayor ordered a mandatory evacuation order for Leilani Estates, in response to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reporting ‘vigorous’ lava eruptions from a fissure system.

Those in violation are ‘subject to arrest and will be liable for rescue costs.’

People were also warned that those remaining in the mandatory evacuation area despite his order, ‘do so at their own risk with the knowledge that emergency responders may not respond.

Those ‘in violation of this order are subject to arrest and will be liable for any costs associated with rescue operations in the mandatory evacuation area’. 

Mayor Harry Kim tells residents on Twitter that following a Civil Defense warning, issued May 31, he has ordered a mandatory evacuation order for Leilani Estates. This is in response to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reporting ¿vigorous¿ lava eruptions

Mayor Harry Kim tells residents on Twitter that following a Civil Defense warning, issued May 31, he has ordered a mandatory evacuation order for Leilani Estates. This is in response to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reporting ‘vigorous’ lava eruptions

People were also warned that those remaining in the mandatory evacuation area despite the order ¿do so at their own risk with the knowledge that emergency responders may not respond. Those ¿in violation of this order are subject to arrest and will be liable for any costs associated with rescue operations in the mandatory evacuation area

People were also warned that those remaining in the mandatory evacuation area despite the order ‘do so at their own risk with the knowledge that emergency responders may not respond. Those ‘in violation of this order are subject to arrest and will be liable for any costs associated with rescue operations in the mandatory evacuation area

The latest order was announced a day after police arrested a 62-year-old Leilani Estates resident who fired a handgun over the head of a younger man from the same community, apparently believing his neighbour was an intruder or looter.

The confrontation on Tuesday was recorded on a cell phone video that later went viral.

Besides spouting fountains of lava around the clock, the fissures have released high levels of toxic sulfur dioxide gas on a near constant basis, posing an ongoing health hazard

Besides spouting fountains of lava around the clock, the fissures have released high levels of toxic sulfur dioxide gas on a near constant basis, posing an ongoing health hazard

Civil defense officials have previously said about 2,000 residents in and around Leilani Estates were displaced at the outset of the current eruption, which began on May 3

Civil defense officials have previously said about 2,000 residents in and around Leilani Estates were displaced at the outset of the current eruption, which began on May 3

But the mandatory evacuation was ‘decided prior to that incident,’ said David Mace, a spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency currently assigned to the Hawaii County Civil Defense authority.

Civil defense officials have previously said about 2,000 residents in and around Leilani Estates were displaced at the outset of the current eruption, which began on May 3.

But the total number of evacuees was estimated to have risen to about 2,500 after authorities ushered residents from the nearby Kapoho area as a precaution on Wednesday, as a lava flow threatened to cut off a key access road.

At least 75 homes – most of them in Leilani Estates – have been devoured by streams of red-hot molten rock creeping from about two dozen large volcanic vents, or fissures, that have opened in the ground since Kilauea rumbled back to life four weeks ago. 

Lava flows also have knocked out power and telephone lines in the region, disrupting communications.

Besides spouting fountains of lava around the clock, the fissures have released high levels of toxic sulfur dioxide gas on a near constant basis, posing an ongoing health hazard. Meanwhile, the main summit crater has periodically erupted in clouds of volcanic ash that create breathing difficulties and other problems for residents living downwind.

The heightened volcanic activity has been accompanied by frequent earthquakes, as magma – the term for lava before it reaches the surface – pushes its way up from deep inside the earth and exerts tremendous force underground.

In this aerial photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, lava flows from fissure 8 near Pahoa, Hawaii on Wednesday, May 30. The lava channel was estimated to be about 100 feet wide

In this aerial photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, lava flows from fissure 8 near Pahoa, Hawaii on Wednesday, May 30. The lava channel was estimated to be about 100 feet wide

Another photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows crews making visual observations of lava activity near Pahoa, Hawaii. Fountains of lava reached heights of 260 feet (80 metres)

Another photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows crews making visual observations of lava activity near Pahoa, Hawaii. Fountains of lava reached heights of 260 feet (80 metres)

After a month of continual eruptions at Kilauea’s summit and along its eastern flank, geologists say they have no idea how much longer it will last.

‘There’s no sign we’re getting that anything is going to slow down at the moment,’ Wendy STOVL, a vulcanologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, told reporters on a conference call on Thursday. ‘We don’t see any changes occurring.’

The island’s mayor on Wednesday renewed an emergency proclamation for 60 more days, allowing construction of temporary shelters and other relief projects to proceed on an expedited basis, without reviews and permits normally required.

The month-old eruption of Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, followed an eruption cycle that had continued almost nonstop for 35 years.

Stovall said geologists now believe the latest upheaval should be classified as a separate volcanic event, though an official determination has yet to be made. 

Meanwhile, the Hawaii Island Volcano Recovery Fund has raised over $90,000 to help recovery efforts in support of communities affected by the Kilauea volcano eruption.

Spokesman Micah Kane said: ‘All of the generous donations we have received are helping to provide immediate assistance to those impacted by the volcano eruption. We know that community needs will evolve, and it may take years for those affected to completely recover.’

NASA yesterday released new images (above) showing lava flows captured in helicopter thermal imagery, and by the NASA Landsat 8 and ESA Sentinel 2B satellites. The set of ¿eruption lava dynamics¿ from May 22-23 show the lava flowing from a channel which opened on May 22 from fissures 6 and 18, which reached the ocean ¿sometime between May 23 and May 24,¿ NASA said. The mean flow, based on its satellite observations, reveal the ¿mean flow was near 2.6m/minute¿

NASA yesterday released new images (above) showing lava flows captured in helicopter thermal imagery, and by the NASA Landsat 8 and ESA Sentinel 2B satellites. The set of ‘eruption lava dynamics’ from May 22-23 show the lava flowing from a channel which opened on May 22 from fissures 6 and 18, which reached the ocean ‘sometime between May 23 and May 24,’ NASA said. The mean flow, based on its satellite observations, reveal the ‘mean flow was near 2.6m/minute’



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