More homes on Hawaii's Big Island have been destroyed as eruptions linked to the Kilauea volcano increased, spewing lava into residential areas and forcing nearly 2000 people to evacuate.
Scientists forecast more eruptions and more earthquakes, perhaps for months to come, after the southeast corner of the island was rocked by a 6.9 tremor on Friday, the strongest on the island since 1975.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said on Saturday that several new lava fissures had opened in the Leilani Estates subdivision of Puna District, about 20km from the volcano. Not all the fissures were still active, it added.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said at midday local time on Saturday that "eruptive activity is increasing and is expected to continue".
Janet Babb, a spokeswoman for the observatory, said by telephone that the eruptions could carry on "for weeks or months".
Babb said the activity since Thursday is beginning to show similarities to another event in the area in 1955 that lasted for 88 days, when far fewer people lived near the volcano.
Although no significant lava flows have yet formed, additional outbreaks of lava, which can reach temperatures of about 1150 Celsius, were expected, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said.
The Hawaii Fire Department reported "extremely dangerous air quality conditions due to high levels of sulfur dioxide gas in the evacuation area," civil defense officials said on Saturday. The gas can cause skin irritations and breathing difficulties.
