WATCH: Video shows Kilauea volcano erupt on Hawaii island

These towering lava fountains attracting droves of visitors to the Hawaii Volcano's National Park. Experts say the eruption covered about 650 acres of Kalua Pele, or the caldera floor at the summit of Kilauea, as of 9:30 on Friday morning. That's the fastest that any of the recent summit eruptions has um covered parts of the caldera floor. This eruption is really visible from around um the caldera uh within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, so it's really um pretty spectacular viewing. The eruption began *** little after 2 on Friday morning after about 20 minutes of intense earthquakes, spewing lava fountains about 300 ft high, then diminishing slightly. Closer to around 200 ft, but, but still very impressive. Each one of these eruptions uh gives us *** *** means to help understand. How the volcano behaves and, and maybe gives us some insight into how it might erupt in the future. Geologists say some communities downwind of the volcano may encounter fog, but the immediate downwind section of the park is closed, so visitors may not experience the haze. Park officials are reminding visitors to remain on designated paths as the cliff edges surrounding the caldera are unstable. Everyone is so excited to see this activity that mostly visitor behaviors are pretty good. You know, we've seen some illegal parking and maybe *** bottle cap falling off somebody's water bottle, but for the most part people are really being good and fairly respectful. This time of the year is also na na breeding season, and park personnel say they're seeing many of the native geese in the parking lot and on the roadway, so visitors are also being asked to drive carefully. Al Ali Idulo Island News.

Updated: 10:32 AM CST Dec 24, 2024

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WATCH: Video shows Kilauea volcano erupt on Hawaii island

Updated: 10:32 AM CST Dec 24, 2024

Editorial Standards ⓘ

One of the world’s most active volcanoes erupted on Monday after a three-month hiatus, spewing bright orange lava as high as 300 feet, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).Kilauea volcano on Hawaii island, also known as the Big Island, began erupting at roughly 2:20 a.m. and continued throughout the day — bringing packed crowds to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is open to the public 24 hours a day.The USGS also posted a livestream of the spectacle.By 5:30 a.m., 500 acres of lava covered the caldera floor, a large basin that forms when a volcano erupts and collapses, according to the National Park Service.Photos and videos show lava fountains flowing and spreading throughout the caldera floor.“It’s a pretty exciting time … This is a really big voluminous eruption,” Ken Hon, the head scientist at USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said in a livestream chat.“It was a fairly rapid onset for one of these eruptions. This is the fifth eruption that we’ve had in the summit area of Kilauea since December of 2020,” he said, adding that lava flows have already covered a 400-acre lava lake that began in 2020.Between 3 to 4 p.m. volcanic activity began slowing significantly, scientists said.At roughly 5 p.m., experts reported that little more than one square mile around the volcano was covered. The lava is also estimated to be about 1 yard thick, according to a release published by the USGS.Authorities assured the public that nearby communities would not be in danger of the eruption as it is contained within the national park, but that “emission rates of the volcanic gases were very high” and spreading downwind from the crater, affecting air quality, according to the USGS.The National Park Service advised those with respiratory and heart conditions to exercise caution.

One of the world’s most active volcanoes erupted on Monday after a three-month hiatus, spewing bright orange lava as high as 300 feet, according to the (USGS).

Kilauea volcano on Hawaii island, also known as the Big Island, began erupting at roughly 2:20 a.m. and continued throughout the day — bringing packed crowds to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is open to the public 24 hours a day.

The USGS also posted a of the spectacle.

By 5:30 a.m., 500 acres of lava covered the caldera floor, a large basin that forms when a volcano erupts and collapses, according to the .

Photos and videos show lava fountains flowing and spreading throughout the caldera floor.

“It’s a pretty exciting time … This is a really big voluminous eruption,” Ken Hon, the head scientist at USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said in a .

“It was a fairly rapid onset for one of these eruptions. This is the fifth eruption that we’ve had in the summit area of Kilauea since December of 2020,” he said, adding that lava flows have already covered a 400-acre lava lake that began in 2020.

Between 3 to 4 p.m. volcanic activity began slowing significantly, scientists said.

At roughly 5 p.m., experts reported that little more than one square mile around the volcano was covered. The lava is also estimated to be about 1 yard thick, according to a .

Authorities assured the public that nearby communities would not be in danger of the eruption as it is contained within the national park, but that “emission rates of the volcanic gases were very high” and spreading downwind from the crater, affecting air quality, according to the USGS.

The National Park Service advised those with respiratory and heart conditions to exercise caution.

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