Hawaii braces for more lava, quakes from Kilauea volcano

PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — Sputtering lava, strong earthquakes and toxic gas jolted the southern part of the Big Island of Hawaii as magma shifted underneath a restless Kilauea volcano.

Two new volcanic vents, from which lava is spurting, developed Saturday, bringing the number formed to eight. Lava has been spurting out of the ground from the vents, many of which formed in the same residential neighborhood where molten rock first emerged Thursday.

The trifecta of natural threats forced stressed out residents to evacuate and prompted the closure of parks and college campuses on Friday.

At midday, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck — the biggest of hundreds of quakes this week and the largest to strike the state in 43 years. Residents were also warned to watch out for dangerous levels of sulfuric gas. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb said the earthquakes reflected the volcano adjusting to the shifting magma.

“The magma moving down the rift zones, it causes stress on the south flank of the volcano,” Babb said. “We’re just getting a series of earthquakes.” She said scientists were studying whether the quakes would affect the eruption.

The lava lake at Kilauea’s summit crater dropped significantly, suggesting the magma was moving eastward toward Puna, a mostly rural district of forests, papaya farms and lava fields left by past eruptions.

Officials ordered more than 1,700 people out of Big Island communities near the lava, warning of the dangers of spattering hot rock and high levels of sulfuric gas that could threaten the elderly and people with breathing problems. Two homes have burned. Gary McMillan said his home is about 3,000 feet from one of the fissures that is spewing lava and gas into Leilani Estates. He has remote cameras set up in his home and says that as of now his home is still intact. He’s living out of his van with his wife at the nearby community center and constantly thinks about the things they were forced to leave behind — but understands why authorities are keeping residents out.

“I was a critical care nurse for 37 years, so I understand the health implications and the dangers involved,” he said.

Local authorities held a community meeting with residents from lava affected areas Friday night at Pahoa High School.

State Sen. Russell Ruderman said he’s experienced many earthquakes, but the magnitude-5.4 temblor that hit first “scared the heck out of me.” Merchandise fell off the shelves in a natural food store he owns.

When the larger quake followed, he said he felt strong shaking in Hilo, the island’s largest city that is roughly 45 minutes from the rural Puna area.