thousands to evacuate, burning homes and property as it goes. it erupted for the first time in half a century. it s a stark example of that old adage, mother nature bats last. we get our report from msnbc news correspondent, miguel. as peck spectacular. for four days, fountains have fire have violently spewed hundreds of feet high. lava engulfing homes. 20s-foot high waves of molt and rock consuming and covering neighborhoods in their path. we see it all of our life. we were running into the house, just packing the documents. reporter: proceeded by a 4.2 urlgt earthquake, it continues
tonight. reporter: tonight, fountains of lava engulfing neighborhoods on hawaii s big island after multiple new eruptions from the kilauea volcano. flames and lava shooting a hundred feet in the air, forcing at least 1,800 people from their homes with just minutes to spare. we could hear the lava exploding from the house. you know, is the house still gonna be there when we go back over there? reporter: the actual volcano crater miles away from the vents in the ground where the eruptions are exploding. my house is on stilts so the whole house actually shook. reporter: officials say at least two homes have been destroyed. witnesses comparing the sound of the eruption to a jet engine. we were a half a block away from where it was happening, but you could feel the heat, feel the power of the eruption. reporter: a line of lava spewing from a crack in the earth, spilling out onto the streets. plumes of thick, pink smoke rising high above the island.