Lava flows and fiery explosions from Hawaii's erupting Kilauea volcano

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano exploded at its summit on Thursday following two weeks of volcanic activity that sent lava flows into neighbourhoods and destroyed at least 26 homes.

Pulverized rock, glass and crystal

Hawaii residents covered their faces with masks after Kilauea exploded, sending a mixture of pulverized rock, glass and crystal into the air in its strongest eruption of sandlike ash in days.

Geologists have warned that the volcano could become even more violent, with increasing ash production and the potential that future blasts could hurl boulders the size of cows from the summit.

Air travel restrictions

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration extended a restriction on aircraft from entering the airspace up to 9,100 metres above sea level. The earlier limit was up to 3,000 metres. The prohibition applies to an eight kilometre radius around the crater.

Flowing lava

Lava flows at a new fissure in the aftermath of eruptions from Kilauea as a local resident walks nearby. The U.S. Geological Survey said a recent lowering of the lava lake at the volcano's Halemaumau crater has raised the potential for explosive eruptions. Authorities have confirmed the fissure is the 16th to open. 

Lake of fire

Scientists warned May 9 that a drop in the lava lake at the summit might create conditions for a large explosion. Geologists predicted such a blast would mostly release trapped steam from flash-heated groundwater.

Kilauea has also been erupting lava into neighbourhoods 40 kilometres to the east of the summit crater since May 3. It opened a new lava vent in the area — the 21st such fissure — on Thursday.

Lava consumes homes

Lava from a robust fissure eruption on Kilauea's east rift zone consumes a home, then threatens another, near Pahoa, Hawaii, on May 6. A local state of emergency has been declared after Mount Kilauea erupted near residential areas, forcing mandatory evacuation of about 1,700 citizens from their nearby homes. 

Volcanic skylight

A view of a so-called "skylight," a crack in the surface of solidified lava, taken during a flight over the area allows a view on the hot glowing magma in an underground tube near the Pu'u 'O'o crater. The crater's floor collapsed on May 1 and has continued to erode its walls since then, generating huge explosions of ash.

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey said magma is moving underground via the Mount Kilauea volcano's east rift zone and may erupt at any time.

Ash plumes

A woman holds her dog at a golf course as an ash plume rises in the distance from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on May 15.

Continuous eruption 

Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, has been erupting continuously since 1983. 

It's among the five volcanoes that form the Big Island, and it's the only one actively erupting.

In 1924, an eruption killed one person and sent rocks, ash and dust into the air for 17 days.