HVO: Kilauea eruption resumes
The eruption of Kilauea resumed this morning after a 12-day pause.
According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, lava began erupting from the Kilauea caldera early this morning, with low-level continuous lava spattering observed at 5:40 a.m., a sluggish lava flow emerging from the same vent at 9:15 a.m., and lava fountaining observed at 9:55 a.m.
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By about 11 a.m., HVO reported that about 10% of the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater had been covered by lava.
This is the fourth eruptive phase of an eruption that began Dec. 23. The first phase lasted only 14 hours before a brief pause, after which it started again Christmas Eve and erupted for another 15 hours.
Following another brief pause, the third phase began Dec. 26 and continued for eight days until it paused again on Jan. 3.
This phase appears less vigorous than the previous eruptive phases. The lava fountain appears to be as high as 180 feet, whereas previous phases produced fountains about 240 feet high.
All current and recent activity is contained within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and no changes have been detected in the volcano’s east or southwest rift zones.
The volcano’s alert level and aviation color code remain at Watch and Orange, respectively.
HVO continues to monitor the eruption and remains in close contact with HVNP and the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.
