Liquid hot molten lava flowing like a river from Mount Kilauea volcano to the ocean in Hawaii has been captured in new ground and aerial footage.

The United States Geological Survey released footage taken from an unmanned drone hovering over one of the fissures on the ‘Big Island’ was taken on Saturday (Friday local time).

And resident Isaac Krakauer took to Facebook Live to document lava flows claiming several homes in the Leilani Estates subdivision.

“This is insane. This lava is advancing at about two feet more minute and we’re seeing this river move across this lawn taking that house in a matter of minutes,” Mr Krakauer said in the video showing lava advancing towards homes at about a metre per minute.

“This thing is moving so fast. It’s hard to even look at it, it’s so bright and hot,” he said.

It is hoped the aerial images will assist scientists to better understand the volcano’s activity and assess potential hazards with authorities warning even small pieces of molten rock can be fatal.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists say the eruption, which has already produced around two dozen lava-spewing cracks, has now entered a more violent phase in which larger volumes of molten rock are streaming out of fissures and travelling farther than previous flows.

Drone footage over Kilauea volcano shows vibrant fountains of lava along a complex of fissures and the lava flows that extend to the Pacific Ocean. https://t.co/zVOlKk1ZL8 pic.twitter.com/gIzeWWJ4Et

— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 25, 2018

The volcano has been active for more than two weeks and has destroyed 82 homes and other structures in the Leilani Estates and Laipuna Gardens area of the Puna district, according to local newspaper, Hawaii News Now.

About 2000 people have been evacuated due to lava flows and toxic sulphur dioxide gas and the first known serious injury has been reported from the fresh explosive eruptions.

A man, sitting on his third-floor balcony, had his leg shattered from shin to foot when hit by lava splatter, according to a County of Hawaii spokesperson.

The erupting lava, which can reach a blistering 1100 degrees Celsius, has blocked a Hawaii highway serving as an escape route for coastal residents.

Its destructive path is also flowing towards a geothermal power plant where workers have scrambled to shut it down to prevent the release of toxic gases.

The Hawaii National Guard says more mandatory evacuations will be necessary if further roads are blocked.

-with AAP