By Terray Sylvester
PAHOA,
Hawaii (Reuters) - New fissures roaring like jet engines and spewing
magma have opened on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, piling lava as high as a
four-story building as the U.S. Geological Survey warned that more
outbreaks were likely.
A
crack in pasture land on Kilauea's east flank was the 16th recorded
since the U.S. volcano, one of the world's most active, erupted eight
days ago. Thousands of people have fled their homes on Big Island and
dozens of homes have been destroyed.
The
new fissure opened up on Saturday about a mile (1.6 km) east of the
existing vent system that has devastated the island's Leilani Estates
neighborhood, close to several homes on the edge of the field.
"It's
right by my house, which is kind of scary," said Haley Clinton, 17, who
walked to see the new crack with her father, Darryl, and sister Jolon,
15. "It's really cool."
From
afar, the fissure gave off dull, thumping roars that sharpened on
approach to a scream from venting steam and gas, mixed with the slapping
sounds of liquid lava.
Within
hours of opening, the fissure had piled reddish-black lava about 40
feet (12 meters) high and at least 150 feet (45 meters) in length.
Chunks of magma were being spewed 100 feet (30 meters) in the air.
The
intense heat left onlookers drenched with sweat, and the air was filled
with an acrid, burned scent. But with billowing gas and smoke blowing
in the opposite direction, there was no pungent smell of toxic sulfur
dioxide in the air.
Shortly
after the fissure opened, the Geological Survey's Hawaii Volcano
Observatory said seismic activity remained "elevated" at Kilauea's
4,000-feet-high (1,200-meter-high) summit. The USGS reported a shallow
but small earthquake with a magnitude of 3.5 hit the island on Saturday.
Another
fissure, the 17th since the lava flows began May 3, opened about 6 p.m.
local time, venting gases the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said.
Geologists
warned on Friday that a steam-driven eruption from the summit's
Halemaumau crater could spew ash plumes 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) high
and spread ash and debris up to 12 miles (19 km).
Kilauea's
vents have been oozing relatively cool, sluggish magma left over from a
similar event in 1955. Fresher magma could now emerge behind it and the
volcano is threatening to start a series of explosive eruptions,
scientists have said.
"WE NEED TO BREATHE"
As
the area affected by Kilauea's eruption widens, Hawaii residents are
racing to buy respirators to cope with the ash and toxic gases spewing
from the volcano.
David
Baxter, 54, an employee of Pahoa Auto Parts, said the shop was selling
out of respirators as soon as they get in and had sold about 3,000 so
far. The shop was all out on Saturday.
"We
pretty much bought up every (respirator) in the state, and we are
selling them at cost - actually, a slight loss," said Baxter. "We need
to breathe."
Even
as the volcano continued to erupt, Hawaii Academy of Arts and Sciences,
a charter middle and high school in Pahoa, will resume classes on
Monday after being shut for a week.
A
teacher at the school, Tiffany Edwards Hunts, who lives in the Big
Island's Vacationland neighborhood, said she, her husband and two
children - ages 10 and 6 - were readying to evacuate their home.
"My husband has been doing a good job of protecting them, but it is scary for kids," she said.
Some
pets have been left behind as many residents have fled their homes, and
the Hawaii Island Humane Society said it had rescued 16 dogs, three
rabbits, four tortoises and four cats.
Almost
all had been picked up by their owners, and 1,400 livestock and 32
horses had also been taken from the volcano zone, it said in a statement
(Reporting
by Terray Sylvester in Pahoa, Jolyn Rosa in Honolulu and Karin Stanton
on the Big Island; Writing by Ian Simpson in Washington; additional
reportinng by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Marguerita Choy and
Alexander Smith)
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