One of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea, erupted on Monday after a three-month pause, launching vibrant orange lava up to 300 feet into the air, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The eruption began at approximately 2:20 a.m. on Hawaii’s Big Island and continued throughout the day, attracting large crowds to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which remains open to the public 24/7.
By 5:30 a.m., lava had spread across 500 acres of the caldera floor, a large basin formed by the volcano’s eruptive and collapsive activities, according to the National Park Service.
Photos and videos shared with CNN depicted lava fountains flowing and spreading across the caldera floor.
“It’s a pretty exciting time … This is a really big, voluminous eruption,” remarked Ken Hon, the lead scientist at USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, during a livestream chat.
“The eruption began quite rapidly. This marks the fifth eruption in Kilauea’s summit area since December 2020,” he noted, adding that the lava flows have already spread across a 400-acre lava lake that originated in 2020.
Scientists observed that volcanic activity started to decrease notably between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.
By approximately 5:00 p.m., experts reported that lava had covered just over one square mile around the volcano. The lava thickness was estimated to be about one yard, according to a release from the USGS.
Authorities reassured the public that nearby communities were not at risk, as the eruption was confined within the national park. However, the USGS indicated that emission rates of volcanic gases were very high and were dispersing downwind from the crater, impacting air quality.
The National Park Service advised individuals with respiratory and heart conditions to take necessary precautions.”