HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began erupting early Monday morning, sending lava fountains spewing from fissures within its summit caldera and prompting officials to raise the alert level to warning status.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the eruption started around 2:30 a.m. local time in the Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, following increased earthquake activity beneath the summit.
Webcam footage showed lava flowing from multiple fissures at the crater base. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory elevated the volcano alert level from advisory to warning and issued a red aviation color code, indicating significant volcanic ash emissions are likely.
The eruption marks Kilauea’s fourth activity in the past year. The volcano, one of the world’s most active, previously erupted in September along its middle East Rift Zone and in June about a mile south of the caldera – the first eruption in that region since 1974.
Located on Hawaii’s Big Island, Kilauea is part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that also includes Mauna Loa volcano. The park attracts thousands of tourists hoping to witness volcanic activity, with more than 10,000 visitors during three eruptions in 2023.
The volcano’s most destructive recent eruption occurred in 2018, lasting three months and destroying over 700 structures, including 200 homes. That event displaced approximately 3,000 people, with many unable to return home for more than a year.
Officials continue monitoring the situation closely. The national park has not yet announced any visitor restrictions related to the new eruption.
