Residents told to flee as volcanic eruptions destroy Hawaiian homes

Pahoa, Hawaii — Emergency authorities battling lava flows and gas erupting from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano told some residents to "go now" as a new fissure opened and more structures were destroyed. Kilauea has destroyed 26 homes and forced 1,700 people to leave their residences since it erupted on Thursday, spewing lava and toxic gas from volcanic vents in a small area of Hawaii’s Big Island. A new fissure opened on Sunday night in the Leilani Estates area some about 19.3km from the volcano, prompting a cellphone alert for residents to leave homes to avoid sulfur dioxide gas, which can be life threatening at high levels. So far no fatalities or major injuries have been reported from the volcano, according to the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency. Evacuees from Leilani Estates were allowed to return for pets, medications and to check property on Sunday, but some like Jeremy Wilson found homes surrounded by long fissures. "My house is right in the middle," said Wilson, who turned back...