One of the world’s most active volcanoes came back to life on Monday, spewing columns of lava 80 meters (260 feet) above Hawaii, US volcanologists said.

Images showed huge cracks in the Kilauea caldera on Hawaii’s Big Island, spewing molten rock into the air.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began shortly after 2:00 a.m. local time (1200 GMT) in the southwestern part of the caldera.

“At 4:30 a.m., lava fountains as high as 80 meters (262 feet) were observed,” the agency said.

“Molten material, including lava bombs, is ejected from vents on the caldera floor to the western edge of the caldera.”

The eruption also sent matter much higher into the atmosphere.

“The plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles reaches heights of 6,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level… and winds transport it southwestward.”

The observatory said sulfur dioxide escaping from the crack would react with other gases in the atmosphere.

The so-called Vog – volcanic smog – can affect people, animals and crops.

Kilauea has been very active since 1983 and erupts relatively regularly, most recently in September.

It is one of six active volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands, which includes Mauna Loa, the world’s largest volcano, although Kilauea is far more active.

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