Lava spews from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is releasing red lava into a residential subdivision, prompting the county to order mandatory evacuations.

Hawaii County spokeswoman Janet Snyder said Thursday red lava emerged on Mohala Street in the Leilani Estates subdivision. The county is ordering evacuations for homes from Luana Street to Pohohiki Road.

The U.S. Geological Survey said in a Facebook post an eruption happened at 3:35 p.m. local time Friday, May 4. About an hour later, evacuations began when lava began approaching the Leilani nearby subdivision.

"Residents of the lower Puna District should remain alert, review individual, family, and business emergency plans, and watch for further information about the status of the volcano," the USGS post said. 

The eruption comes after days of earthquakes rocked the Puna district of the Big Island.

Earlier in the week, the crater floor of the Puu Oo vent collapsed. That caused magma to push more than 10 miles downslope toward the populated southeast coastline of the island.

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