A volcano eruption in Hawaii has scarred forests and forced residents to evacuate - here are the dramatic images
The eruption occurred in the Leilani Estates subdivision of Hawaii's Puna district. The neighborhood is located within Kilauea's East Rift Zone.
A small fissure opened up around 5:00 p.m., spewing lava and gas into the neighborhood and onto roads.
The fissure remained active for over an hour, scarring forests and forcing some residents to evacuate.
Pictured here is the Pu'u O'o vent on Kilauea. Smoke and ash started rising from that vent in the hours leading up to the eruption.
A magnitude-5.0 earthquake struck the area earlier this week — a clue that an eruption could be coming.
That earthquake caused the Pu'u O'o vent to collapse, which led lava to flow underground downslope, toward the area where the eruption later occurred in Leilani Estates.
Here's an aerial view of the collapsed crater, with smoke and ash rising from the middle.
Another fissure can be seen trailing down the flank of the Pu'u O'o vent, where the line of white steam rises.
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