Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts in remote summit region
On Monday, the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted after hours of seismic activity beneath its summit, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Kilauea, renowned as one of the world’s most active volcanoes, began its eruption at approximately 12:30 a.m. local time. The eruption occurred about a mile south of the Kilauea caldera within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a popular tourist destination that attracts over 1 million visitors annually. Webcam footage revealed lava spewing from fissures in the summit, according to the USGS.
Katie Mulliken, a geologist with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, told USA TODAY that the eruption poses no immediate threat to residents. The activity has been confined to a remote part of the summit, inaccessible by car or trails.
“There are really no threats to any communities,” Mulliken stated, emphasizing that the USGS will continue to closely monitor the volcanic activity.
This eruption marks the first in this area of the volcano in nearly 50 years, with the last one occurring in December 1974 and lasting about six hours.
On Monday, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory raised the volcano alert level for ground-based hazards to a warning, indicating that a hazardous eruption “is imminent, underway, or suspected.” Additionally, the USGS issued a red aviation color code, signaling that a “significant emission of volcanic ash” is likely, suspected, or imminent.
These alerts were issued following hours of heightened activity beneath Kilauea’s surface. On Sunday, approximately 400 earthquakes were recorded below the summit, with the largest reaching a magnitude of 4.1. Seismic activity often precedes eruptions and signals lava movement within the volcano, Mulliken explained.
The primary hazard of Kilauea eruptions is the high level of volcanic gas, which can have detrimental effects downwind. Other significant hazards include instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls, which can be exacerbated by earthquakes near the summit.
The National Forest Service closed the area surrounding the volcano due to “seismic unrest.” Officials also closed the parking lot for the Devastation Trail, a path that offers views of land still recovering from the volcano’s 36-day eruption in 1959.
Kilauea erupted three times last year, drawing over 10,000 tourists to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to witness the lava fountains. In 2018, the volcano erupted continuously for three months, destroying more than 700 structures, including 200 homes on the Big Island, and displacing around 3,000 people, many of whom were unable to return home for over a year after the eruption.
