A series of fresh earthquakes, including a powerful magnitude 6.9, have hit Hawaii's Big Island, where the Kilauea volcano has been spewing fountains of lava into residential areas and forcing hundreds to evacuate.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the strongest tremor measured 6.9, a magnitude capable of causing severe damage.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said the quake, whose epicentre was on the south flank of the volcano, was not large enough to cause a tsunami although it generated sea level changes around the island of up 15.7 inches.
It caused buildings to shake at the Community Centre in Pahoa town, one of two evacuation centres in the area hastily set up after lava started burbling up through fissures in the ground in neighborhoods nearby.
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A new fissure opened up just before the latest tremor in one of those neighborhoods, Leilani Estates, about 19km from the volcano, the Hawaii County Civil Defence Agency said, making a total of four found so far.
Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes and one of five on the island, has been in constant eruption for 35 years.
Lava flows from the volcano have covered 125sq/km, according to the USGS.
Scientists have said it is nearly impossible to predict how long an eruption will last.
On Thursday, Kilauea began spewing lava into residential areas after a series of earthquakes over the past week.
Starting around 11am local time yesterday, the island experienced a flurry of earthquakes, culminating in the massive magnitude 6.9 tremor.
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Residents in Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens subdivisions, home to about 1,700 people, were ordered to evacuate in the early hours after public works officials reported steam and lava erupting from fissures in the road, the Civil Defense agency said.
No injuries or deaths were reported, but Hawaii Governor David Ige activated the Hawaii National Guard to provide emergency help.
A 150 metre fissure ripped open a road and spewed lava for about two hours in Leilani Estates at about 5:30pm, the Hawaii Volcano Observatory said on its website.
Civil defence officials warned the public about high levels of sulfur dioxide near the volcano, one reason for the evacuation orders.
The gas can cause skin irritations and breathing difficulties.
Lava, which can reach temperatures of about 1,150C, spread less than about 10 metres from the fissure, the observatory said.
