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And more than two months later, Kilauea is still erupting.
On Monday, a lava bomb – a flying piece of molten rock – struck an excursion boat, injuring 23 people. Thirteen of the wounded were treated at the hospital and at least one woman was in serious condition, the authorities said.
Here is a glimpse of how the volcano has affected the area in recent months.
Up to now, 706 homes have been destroyed, according to the Civil Defense Agency of Hawaii County
Lava rivers have opened the way to neighborhoods, swallowing up houses and burying them in what now looks like a sea of black. In the communities of Vacationland and Kapoho, the lava has decimated hundreds of homes.
The volcano caused the cracking of two dozen cracks on the Earth's surface, draining dangerous lava fountains and sulfur dioxide. Serrated cracks have emerged on critical roads and even under houses, making them uninhabitable.
About 12.5 square miles of land have been covered with lava since the eruption began more than two months ago, says the Civil Defense Agency of Hawaii County
Residents insisted on housing. still in place for residents of Leilani Estates, according to CNN KHON affiliate. The community of about 1,500 people has been besieged by earthquakes, cracks and lava eruptions.
Residents of the affected areas had to stay in the two shelters open to evacuees of lava or find other places to stay. About 20 microshelters, made up of tiny houses in Pahoa, were built for residents displaced by lava, KHON reported.
Some evacuees who were able to return home were frustrated that looters ransacked them during the weeks they had to stay out of the way.
Nat Tomaselli, a long-time resident, told CNN's Hawaii News that he had returned to his furniture, his refrigerator, his bedroom sets and even his solar panels. He had to evacuate when the lava came close to his property several weeks ago.
"I can not believe that they did that," Tomaselli told the station, through tears. "They tore my place, I miss all my beds."
Many residents also faced a loss of income because their businesses and farms were disrupted by the eruption.
Redrawing the map
The lava has already physically changed the Big Island in many ways. The lava flow added 690 acres of new land, tweeted the USGS.
Part of the lava flow has spread beneath the water away from the coast, creating a tiny island, said the United States Geological Survey. The agency thinks the underwater pressure has pushed the lava to the surface.
In June, lava completely filled Kapoho Bay – shocking residents and visitors to the area for its tides, diving and picnics. The picturesque bay that had been dotted with beach houses and lush greenery had turned into a dark plate of steam and lava. Now, the lava flow extends from what was the bay, into what is now a broad 3.7 mile stream into the ocean.
Also in June, the lava flow evaporated the largest freshwater lake in Hawaii in a few hours. Green Lake, which had once been a popular swimming spot that was about 200 feet deep, is now filled with lava.
CNN's Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report.
