Fears of a massive volcanic eruption have prompted the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to shut down indefinitely today.
A volcanic fissure with lava fountains as high as about 70m in Leilani Estates, Hawaii. Photo: AFP
Hawaii News Now reports officials have warned that massive boulders the size of cows could come raining down from the sky near the crater and send thick ash plumes into the air.
"It could be large rocks, it could be boulders the size of cows," said Jessica Ferracane, of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
"But the larger rocks are going to fall closer to the vent. So if you are, I believe, a half-mile radius of the eruption site - that's where it could be deadly."
They have asked people to be prepared for the worst as scientists said lava levels inside the volcano have been going down.
If the molten rock sinks further and comes into contact with ground water, the eruption will become explosive, hurling out rocks the size of buses.
Residents in the southeast corner of Hawaii's big island have been warned by text message of a wind change that could bring lethal levels of sulfur dioxide gas.
The gas comes from lava-oozing fissures in the erupting Kilauea volcano and can be fatal if inhaled in large quantities.
The last time such eruptions happened was nearly a century ago, when shooting debris killed one and left a layer of ash over homes and cars.
Hawaii's governor David Ige has also warned that mass evacuations may be required as more fissures open in the ground.
