Kilauea Erupts Again After Hiatus
(CNN) — One of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea, erupted on Monday after a three-month break, sending bright orange lava up to 300 feet in the air, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The eruption commenced at approximately 2:20 a.m. and continued into the day, attracting numerous visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which remains open 24 hours a day. Excitement surged as the USGS provided a livestream of the event.
By around 5:30 a.m., 500 acres of lava had blanketed the caldera floor, a large basin typically formed after volcanic eruptions, according to the National Park Service.
Ken Hon, the head scientist at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, remarked during the livestream chat, “It’s a pretty exciting time … This is a really big voluminous eruption.” He added, “It was a fairly rapid onset for one of these eruptions,” noting that this was the fifth eruption at Kilauea’s summit since December 2020.
As volcanic activity began to slow significantly between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m., experts assessed that over one square mile around the volcano had been covered. The lava thickness was estimated to be about one yard, according to USGS reports.
Authorities reassured the public that there is no immediate danger to surrounding communities, as the eruption is contained within the national park. However, the USGS cautioned that “emission rates of volcanic gases were very high” and that these gases were spreading downwind, adversely affecting air quality. Visitors with respiratory and heart conditions were advised to proceed with caution.
Conclusion
The eruption serves as a vivid reminder of nature’s power and continues to draw attention to the beauty and dangers of volcanic activity.
