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After nearly three months of silence, Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has erupted once again, with magnificent lava flows bursting within one of its craters on Sunday, as reported by the US Geological Survey.
The eruption began around 3:15 p.m. local time in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, located in Kilauea’s summit caldera at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, according to the USGS. Kilauea is the youngest and most active volcano on the island, having experienced several summit eruptions since 2020.
By Monday, USGS officials announced that the volcano alert level had been downgraded from “warning” to “watch” due to the stabilization of the eruption. “The initial extremely high effusion rates have declined, and no infrastructure is at risk,” stated the USGS.
Similarly, Kilauea’s activation color code has been lowered from red to orange, as there is “no threat of significant volcanic ash emission into the atmosphere outside of the hazardous closed area within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park,” according to the USGS statement.
The eruption on Sunday followed a period of intense seismic activity and rapid elevation of the volcano’s summit, as reported by the USGS.
Video footage showed lava spewing from fissures at the base of the crater, although the activity remained confined to the crater.
“At this time, the lava flow at Kilauea is limited to the summit and does not pose a threat to nearby communities,” stated the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency on Sunday.
The primary concerns with the eruption are volcanic gas and delicate strands of volcanic glass known as Pele’s hair, which can drift downwind, cautioned the agency.
“Strong winds may carry lighter particles over greater distances,” warned the USGS in an alert. “Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, as they can cause skin and eye irritation.”
Kilauea last had a brief eruption in June, which showcased impressive lava fountains reaching heights of approximately 200 feet. The eruption concluded on June 19, according to the USGS.
In addition, Kilauea experienced an eruption in January, following a period of dormancy since September 2021, when lava remained within Kilauea’s summit crater.
However, the most destructive eruption in recent Hawaiian history occurred in 2018, resulting in the destruction of numerous homes and forced evacuations in surrounding areas.
“Since the 2018 activity, Kilauea has undergone constant change, alternating between periods of tranquility, unrest, eruptions, and everything in between,” according to the USGS.
Sunday’s eruption at Kilauea serves as “a solemn reminder of the sacredness ingrained in this landscape,” highlighted
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