Lava is flowing into residential areas and residents are at risk of being engulfed in clouds of sulfur dioxide.
The Kilauea volcano continues to rage on Hawaii's main island, the Big Island.
Authorities have closed a national park and imposed restrictions on air traffic.
A new fissure has begun spewing lava up to 70 meters into the air, and additional cracks have appeared on a road in the Leilani Estates area, according to the Hawaii Volcano Observatory.
Sulfur dioxide, a gas that can be life-threatening in high concentrations, is also seeping out in several places.
”"If the winds change direction, you could be gassed," warns local politician Eileen O'Hara on Facebook, urging those remaining in the Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens areas to prepare to leave their homes.
In total, up to 2,000 residents have been evacuated since the first eruptions earlier this week, which followed a series of earthquakes.
Sam Knox's house is just a few hundred meters from the lava flow in Leilani Estates. Many residents have already been evacuated from the area.
Can continue for weeks
The FAA has imposed restrictions on air traffic in the area for all but emergency personnel. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which covers a tenth of the island, has been closed after landslides. Among other things, a large cliff has fallen into the ocean. Around 2,600 visitors were evacuated.
Janet Babb, a spokeswoman for the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, says the eruptions could continue ”for weeks or months,” as the trend begins to resemble activity that lasted 88 days in the area in 1955.
Eight cracks have been opened in the ground by the volcanic activity, according to the news site Hawaii News Now.
"Until the earthquake really subsides and the ground stops moving, it is likely that this activity will continue," says Tina Neal of the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Destroyed houses
No major lava flows have been reported yet, but more eruptions of lava, which can reach temperatures of up to 1,150 degrees, are expected, according to Hawaii's Civil Defense.
Kilauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes and one of five on the island. According to scientists, it is almost impossible to predict how long an eruption will last.
Five houses have been destroyed by lava. But there are no reports of deaths or injuries.
Since Friday, a series of earthquakes have occurred, the strongest with a magnitude of 6.9. It caused a small change in sea level but no tsunami.
Source: TT
