Lava destroyed one of the last two remaining occupied structures in the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision in lower Puna today.

Flows on the west side of the active flow field at Kilauea followed Ali`i Avenue for a short distance, where the homes were. No one was injured. The subdivision was largely abandoned due to repeated lava flows over the past 25 years.

The two remaining structures were what was left after a January flow advanced to about a quarter mile of the subdivision. Only a handful of part- or full-time residents were left, including one who runs a bed-and-breakfast operation near the western edge of the subdivision. It was unclear which of the two homes were destroyed.

The Royal Gardens subdivision originally had 1,827 lots, but much of that property has already been covered. The volcano has destroyed an estimated 63 homes in Royal Gardens since 1983.

Meanwhile, sulfur dioxide emissions from Halema'uma'u and Pu'u'O'o vents are high, scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said.