Hawaii volcano erupts after quake
LOSA ANGELES: A magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook Hawaii’s Big Island on Friday, prompting fresh eruptions of a volcano that has been spewing lava near residential areas, forcing hundreds of people to flee.
The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 12.32pm and was centred on the south flank of the Kilauea volcano, which first erupted on Thursday after a series of tremors.
“This is in almost exactly the same location as the deadly 1975 M 7.1 quake,” USGC said.
That quake killed two people and injured 28.
Another 5.7-magnitude tremor had hit the island earlier on Friday and authorities said they expected more seismic activity.
The quakes had prompted the Kilauea volcano, one of five active on the island, to erupt.
Drone and video footage showed orange magma gushing up from cracks in the ground and snaking through a wooded area.
Molten lava could also be seen bubbling up through cracks on streets in the Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens neighborhood where residents were ordered to evacuate on Thursday.
The area is home to about 1,700 people and 770 structures. The broader district potentially impacted by the threat is home to some 10,000 people.
No injuries had been reported but several homes were said to have been destroyed or badly damaged on Friday, authorities said.