Hawaii volcano Kilauea forced thousands of residents to evacuate due to its destructive force wreaking havoc across the archipelago's
Big Island. Watch dramatic footage capturing a curtain of molten
lava spew out of a large crack in the earth's surface.
Hawaii volcano Kilauea has been unleashing its destructive power across the eastern side of Big Island since it first erupted on May 3.
Dramatic footage shared by local news organisation Honolulu Civil Beat shows curtains of lava violently sputtering out of Fissure 8 in the Leilani Estate area.
The video also shows scalding embers emerging from the treeline as lava flows carry on their destructive path which already obliterated more than 80 homes.
Latest updates from the US Geological Survey (USGS) said: "Vigorous eruption of lava continues from the lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) fissure system in the area of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens.
"Overnight, fountaining at Fissure 8 continued to feed a channelised lava flow to the northeast along Highway 132.
"Small overflows from the channel are occurring along its length, including in a few places near the intersection of Highway 132 and Pohoiki road.
"The advance rates of the distal part of the flow overnight were low as lava ponded in a flat area. In the last few hours, advance rates have picked up to about 100 yards/hour."
The USGS also warned residents that volcanic gas emissions "remain very high" close to fissures as Kilauea continues to feed fresh lava into the cracks on the earth's surface.
Hawaii Civil Defence authorities urged residents and tourists in Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots to evacuate by 2 PM local time or "risk the possibility of being isolated."
Big Island Mayor Harry Kim issued an evacuation order on Thursday evening, warning those failing to leave their homes could face arrest.
A spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency said rescue and support crews did not plan to send out teams in the areas covered by the evacuation order past the deadline set to reach shelters or alternative accommodations.
Since Kilauea first began to erupt in early May 2,500 people were forced to flee their homes to escape the devastating force of the volcano.
The financial impact from Kilauea eruptions has been revealed to be between $3million and $6 million on lost revenue from property taxes and reduced property values.
An additional $1.4million has also been ‘lost’ in anticipated costs like overtime.
Sue Lee Loy, a councilwoman, said: “Staggering and that’s just in the last month.
“You can only imagine that that number will grow and how we strategically move through that…it’s going to take a lot of people.”