Rumbling Hawaiian volcano causes earthquake, evacuations

More residents of Hawaii’s Big Island evacuated Friday as the Kilauea volcano continued to push molten lava into neighborhoods. The magma created cracks across roadways and through forests, pushing up through the surface in volcanic vents. Officials warned residents to beware of dangerous levels of sulfuric gas. At about noon Friday, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake rocked the area, the strongest to strike the state in 43 years. A spokeswoman for the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory warned the shifting underground lava could cause additional quakes. The lake of lava at Kilauea’s summit has dropped significantly, suggesting the magma has moved eastward toward the rural community of Puna. About 1,700 sought refuge in area shelters, and two homes burned. Officials have not reported any casualties.