Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island erupts
Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupts in a wild explosion of lava – prompting ‘code red’ aviation warning
- The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted early on Wednesday, spewing out huge flows of lava
- The US Geological Survey said it’s elevating Kilauea’s aviation color code to red as it evaluates the eruption – but there’s no immediate threat to the public
- Kilauea last erupted in January and activity stretched into March. A 2018 eruption destroyed some 700 homes
The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted early on Wednesday, spewing out huge flows of lava.
Sensational live feeds from the US Geological Survey (USGS) captured the eruption at the Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The USGS said lava flows are currently confined to the surrounding crater floor and the eruption does not pose a threat to the public.
The USGS elevated the volcano’s aviation color code to red – meaning ash from the eruption could pose a threat to aviation.
Kilauea last erupted in January, with activity stretching into March, the USGS said.
The organization’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected a glow in Kilauea summit webcam images on Wednesday at 4:44am HST (10:44am ET), indicating a new eruption.
A lava lake forms at Halemaʻumaʻu as seen from the west rim of the Kilauea caldera during the volcano’s eruption in Hawaii, US June 7, 2023
A webcam image provided by the U.S. Geological Survey show the eruption on the summit of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, Wednesday June 7, 2023
The United States Geological Survey said lava is currently confined to the crater so doesn’t pose a threat to life. But it’s imposed a red warning for aviation, as the ash could disrupt aircraft
The volcano last erupted in January (pictured) and activity from that event stretched into March
‘The opening phases of eruptions are dynamic,’ the USGS said in an advisory. ‘The activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu (crater) and the hazards will be reassessed as the eruption progresses.’
Live images show fissures at the base of the crater generating lava flows on the crater floor’s surface, the observatory said.
Before issuing the eruption notice, the observatory said increased earthquake activity and changes in the patterns of ground deformation at the summit started Tuesday night, indicating the movement of magma in the subsurface.
Located in a closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. In 2019, a string of earthquakes and major eruption at Kilauea led to the destructions of hundreds of homes and businesses.
A 2018 Kilauea eruption destroyed more than 700 homes.
Before the major 2018 eruption, Kilauea had been erupting since 1983, and streams of lava occasionally covered farms and homes. During that time, the lava sometimes reached the ocean, causing dramatic interactions with the water.
The Hawaii tourism board notes that at one time, Kilauea ‘produced 250,000-650,00 cubic yards of lava per day – enough to resurface a 20-mile-long, two-lane road each day’.
Pictured: A map showing lava flow hazard zones for Hawaii’s Big Island
Big Island is also home to the largest volcano on Earth, Mauna Loa, which makes up about 51 percent of the island and has an altitude of 13,679 feet. It erupted in November for the first time in 38 years (pictured)
Island officials recommend having a ‘go’ bag with food and identifying a place to stay once they leave home if an eruption occurs
Big Island is also home to the largest volcano on Earth, Mauna Loa, which makes up about 51 percent of the island and has an altitude of 13,679 feet. It erupted in November for the first time in 38 years.
The Big Island is home to about 200,000 people, including comedian Roseanne Barr, who brought property in 2007 and has been living there in recent years.
Oscar-winner actor Matthew McConaughey bought $7.85million home in 2021, but spends most of his time in his home state of Texas.
Island officials recommend having a ‘go’ bag with food and identifying a place to stay once they leave home if an eruption occurs.
There’s been a surge of development on the Big Island in recent decades – its population has more than doubled to 200,000 today from 92,000 in 1980.
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