A series of explosions from the Kilauea volcano on the archipelago of Hawaii in the United States on Saturday spewed ash up to 12,000 feet into the air, according to the US Geological Survey. The volcano began erupting on May 3, and since then at least 20 lava fissures have opened up.

The three explosions began around 12.42am local time on Saturday (4.12 am in India on Sunday). The latest series of explosions come during the fourth week of what geologists rank as one of the biggest eruption cycles from Hawaii island in a century, reported Reuters.

Firefighters went door-to-door asking residents of Leilani Estates on the island to leave as lava from the volcano continued to flow, threatening more homes, reported CNN. Around 2,000 residents of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens were asked to evacuate because of lava flows and high levels of toxic sulphur dioxide gas from volcanic vents, according to Reuters.

At least 90 earthquakes of multiple intensities were recorded at the volcano summit over six hours on Saturday, tweeted the US Geological Survey.

The lava has destroyed 82 structures on the Hawaii island, and another 37 structures have become inaccessible in the last days, Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno told CNN. About 2,200 acres have been covered in lava since the volcano started erupting.

On Friday, the volcano had erupted spewing ash up to 30,000 feet into the air. A few of the vents formed by the volcano were also releasing extremely high levels of sulphur dioxide, which is toxic and potentially life threatening.