Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupts at summit caldera: Watch video

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The Kilauea volcano erupted Monday morning on Hawaii’s Big Island after increased earthquake activity beneath the summit, according to the US Geological Survey.

Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, began to break out around 2:30 a.m. local time in the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, which is part of the much larger Kilauea caldera at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Webcam recordings showed flowing lava and a line of fissures spewing lava fountains at the base of the summit caldera crater, the geological survey said.

The volcano is located along the southeast coast of the island of Hawaii in the national park, a popular tourist destination for those hoping to catch a glimpse of volcanic activity. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and includes the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

Volcanic eruption at Kilauea

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Monday raised the volcano’s alert level from an advisory to a warning, opinion a dangerous outbreak “is imminent, underway or suspected.” The study also issued a red aviation color code, indicating that a “significant emission of volcanic ash” is likely, suspected or imminent, according to the USGS.

Increased earthquake activity was first detected during the summit around 2 a.m. local time on Monday.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said it “will continue to monitor this activity closely and report any significant changes in future announcements.”

The national park has not yet published any visitor information about the volcanic activity.

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Watch: Livestream captures volcanic eruption

Kilauea has erupted several times this year

Kilauea most recently erupted between September 15 and 20 along the Middle East Rift Zone, a remote and closed area of ​​the park, amid increased seismic activity in the area, before moving into Napau Crater.

The volcano also erupted in June about a kilometer south of the Kilauea caldera, marking the first eruption in this region of the volcano in about 50 years. The last one took place in December 1974.

Kilauea erupted three times in 2023, bringing more than 10,000 tourists to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to see the lava fountains. In 2018, the volcano erupted for three consecutive months, destroying more than 700 structures, including 200 homes on the Big Island, and displacing about 3,000 people—many of whom were unable to return home more than a year after the eruption.

Contributor: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY

Eric Lagatta covers the latest and trending news for USA TODAY. Contact him at [email protected]