Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano has started erupting.
The state's Emergency Management Agency says that currently, all activity is within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) said there were roughly 250 earthquakes beneath the Kilauea summit in the hours before, indicating an eruption was likely.
Where is Kilauea Volcano?
The volcano is on the big Island in the southeast area.
The National Park Service says ithe eruption is happening in a remote area southwest of the summit caldera.
The eruption started about 12:30 a.m. and a distant lava glow was visible from summit overlooks before dawn. Maunaiki Trail is closed due to possible danger from the eruption. USGS and park rangers are assessing the eruption area and some areas of the park will remain closed indefinitely.
Authorities warn that some areas may experience elevated gas levels due to winds.
When Was the last time Kilauea Erupted?
The active volcano erupted three times in 2023 but this area, much higher up the volcano has not seen activit for 50 years.
The USGS says the most recent eruption in this region was during December 1974, which lasted only about 6 hours. At this time, it is not possible to say how long the eruption will last.
Is Lava coming Out of Kilauea?
"Glow is visible in webcam imagery, indicating that lava is currently erupting from fissures," the USGS observatory said in a statement.
State officials said no communities are threatened by lava.
The HVO says it will continue to closely monitor Kīlauea for signs of increasing or decreasing activity.
Should volcanic activity change significantly, a new Volcanic Activity Notice will be issued.
Kilauea Eruption from Volcano House in the National Park. Insane. pic.twitter.com/OH3X4zqxtc
— Jax (@JaxWaller1) June 3, 2024
