Kilauea volcano erupts in Hawaii's summit caldera: See video

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

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

Located on the southeastern coast of the island of Hawaii in the national park, the volcano is a popular tourist destination for those who want to catch a glimpse of volcanic activity. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and includes the peaks of two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

Kilauea volcanic eruption

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Monday raised the volcano alert level from “advisory” to “warning,” meaning a dangerous eruption is “imminent, underway or suspected.” The survey also revealed a red aviation color code, which the USGS said indicates a “significant ejection of volcanic ash” is likely, suspected or imminent.

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

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

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

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Watch: Livestream captures volcanic eruption

Kilauea has erupted several times this year

Kilauea last 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 penetrating Napau Crater.

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

Kilauea erupted three times in 2023, drawing more than 10,000 tourists to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to see the lava fountains. In 2018, the volcano erupted for three months straight, 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 more than a year after the eruption.

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Kilauea volcano erupts in Hawaii’s summit caldera: See video

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