Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano, one of the world’s most active, has erupted again after a brief two-month pause, sending fiery fountains of lava shooting more than 24 meters (79 feet) into the air. The Hawaii Volcano Observatory reported that this renewed eruption was observed on a Sunday afternoon at the volcano’s summit.
A livestream provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) from the rim of the caldera captured dramatic scenes of lava erupting from multiple fissures in the crater during the early hours of Monday.
Despite the awe-inspiring display, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency took to social media to reassure residents and visitors that the eruption “does not pose a lava threat to communities.” However, it cautioned that volcanic emissions, including particles and gases, might lead to breathing problems for those exposed to them.
This eruption was preceded by a period of heightened seismic activity and rapid uplift of the summit, as noted by the USGS. Consequently, the agency escalated Kilauea’s aviation colour code from orange to red and raised its volcano alert from watch to warning status as they closely monitor the situation.
Remarkably, this marks the third eruption of Kilauea in the current year, following earlier events in January and June. Located within a remote section of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, Kilauea is smaller than its neighbouring Mauna Loa but significantly more active.
Among the six active volcanoes scattered across the Hawaiian islands, Kilauea holds a unique distinction, as it almost continuously erupted from 1983 to 2019. The year 2019 witnessed a series of earthquakes and a major eruption, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses.
The last eruption prior to this recent activity occurred for several weeks in June, where mesmerised crowds gathered at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island to witness the lava flows safely. The park offered a breathtaking but secure vantage point to behold the volcano’s fiery spectacle.
