(KGTV) - Nearly 1,700 people on Hawaii’s Big Island were forced to evacuate Thursday night after a volcanic eruption and subsequent lava outbreak.
U.S. Geological Survey officials said the Kilauea Volcano erupted at around 4:45 p.m. local time, sending lava through forest lands and dangerously close to residential areas.
Hawaii News Now reported authorities went into the Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens neighborhoods and ordered all residents to evacuate.
RESOURCE LIST: Hawaii evacuations
Shelters were set up at the Pahoa Community Center and Keaau Community Center, according to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
Eruption underway at Leilani Estates - began around 4:45 PM HST. Word from Civil Defense is southeast end of subdivision is being evacuated. HVO crews on the ground and shortly in the air assessing eruption. #LeilaniEstates https://t.co/iDvDzrGshF
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) May 4, 2018
Drone images tweeted by the Hawaii News Now show the lava seeping through cracks in the ground.
#BREAKING: A drone captured the lava inching its way towards Leilani Estates.
Emergency sirens will be sounded by civil defense across Hawaii Island.DETAILS: https://t.co/HK9ipVWxFl#HINews #HNN pic.twitter.com/FkD1MPQTwo
— Hawaii News Now (@HawaiiNewsNow) May 4, 2018
#BREAKING: Lava is captured from the view of a drone on Hawaii Island.
DETAILS HERE: https://t.co/HK9ipVWxFlImage: Jeremiah Osuna#HINews #HNN pic.twitter.com/e5Y6nOdRph
— Hawaii News Now (@HawaiiNewsNow) May 4, 2018
Hawaii Gov. David Ige activated the state’s National Guard for evacuation and security assistance.
This emergency proclamation authorizes the expenditure of state monies as appropriated for quick and efficient relief caused by the volcanic eruption.
The proclamation follows HI County’s emergency proclamation filed Thurs afternoon. See Proclamation 📜: https://t.co/WS1rz3afMQ pic.twitter.com/AjHFvQoReq— Governor David Ige (@GovHawaii) May 4, 2018
The evacuations came hours after the U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.0-magnitude earthquake on the island around 1:30 p.m. local time.
RELATED: 5.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Hawaii, stirs fear of volcanic eruption
A large area of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where Kilauea is located, was closed a day before the eruption due to "the possibility of a new eruption and unstable geologic activity."
Small closure due to the threat of new volcanic activity: https://t.co/qgMGhIWUD4 pic.twitter.com/9sIVre0fPb
— Hawaii Volcanoes NPS (@Volcanoes_NPS) May 3, 2018
There is no immediate word on injuries.
