Hundreds of small earthquakes continue to rattle Hawaii’s Big Island, raising concerns of a possible eruption from Kilauea Volcano. Emergency officials are preparing for possible evacuations.
It’s an uneasy time for about 10,000 residents in the lower Puna area, as they wonder what Kilauea Volcano will do in the days ahead.
Residents have reported the recent appearance of several cracks on roads in and around Leilani Estates.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory confirms the cracks are caused by an underlying “intrusion of magma.” Scientists say the cracks are still considered small, and are not producing any steam or heat.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says there have been nearly 500 earthquakes in the last couple of days. The tremors are caused by magma flowing.
“To have these go for two days, it has now become unnerving,” said Carol Shepard, a Leilani Estates resident.
The quakes were mostly 2.0 magnitude — small, but enough to keep Shepard awake all night.
“I would say one a minute and it’d be like the house would shake it’d be like somebody that weighs 300 pounds came in my living room and jumped up and down,” she said.
Hawaii County Civil Defense asked residents to be alert for any updates, in case there is an eruption. Several agencies are already getting evacuation shelters ready, and making sure the roads to get to them are clear.
“If they have friends and family that they can go stay with in that situation if they got to vacate their houses for some time, make those arrangements, make those contacts,” said Talmadge Magno, Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator.
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(Information from khon2.com)