Hawaii volcano generates toxic gas plume called laze

The eruption of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii sparked new safety warnings about toxic gas on the Big Island's southern coastline after lava began flowing into the ocean and setting off a chemical reaction.

The molten rock started pouring into the sea over the weekend. It's been generating plumes of lava haze or "laze" as it interacts with seawater.

It's just the latest hazard from a weeks-old eruption that has so far generated earthquakes and featured gushing molten rock, giant ash plumes and sulfur dioxide.

The eruption has destroyed more than 40 buildings forced more than 2,000 people to evacuate.

Yesterday, lava entered and then stalled on the property of a geothermal plant near one of Kilauea's new volcanic vents. Officials earlier this month removed 190,000 litres of stored flammable gas from the plant to reduce the chance of explosions.

Here are key things to know about the latest volcanic threat.

Lava haze is made of dense white clouds of steam, toxic gas and tiny shards of volcanic glass. Janet Babb, a geologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, says the plume "looks innocuous, but it's not."