Experts warn Kilauea eruption could last months with more than 600 homes destroyed

June 25, 2018

Almost 3000 people have lost their homes to lava or been forced to evacuate since eruptions started in early May.

The crater of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano collapsed yesterday, causing a new steam plume and prompting a warning from experts that the eruption continues to threaten homes.

The steam plume reached heights of about 4500 feet above sea level - 500m above the volcano's summit - and was accompanied by an explosion equivalent to a magnitude-5.2 earthquake.

A spokesperson for the United States Geological Survey said "there are no signs of slowing down right now".

"Geologists are still getting speeds of around 15mph as lava exits the vent, which flows down to around 3-8km/h as it moves around Kapoho Crater and towards the ocean entry," the spokesperson said.

Fissure eruptions like the one taking place in Hawaii are known to last for months at a time - or even years.

Lava flows from the fissures have so far destroyed about 600 homes, many of which were in the Leilani Estates area.

The flows have covered about 15.4 square kilometres and forced the evacuation of thousands.

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