The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii began erupting on Sunday afternoon, with lava flows currently limited to the area surrounding the crater. Online camera footage showed cracks at the base of the crater generating lava flows on the crater floor.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency confirmed that the eruption "does not pose a threat to residential areas due to the lava flow," although volcanic particles and gases may cause respiratory issues for those exposed to them. This eruption followed a period of strong earthquakes. The U.S. Geological Survey raised the volcanic alert level to "warning" and changed the aviation color code from orange to red, the highest level.
Kilauea is located in a closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. In 2019, a series of earthquakes and a major volcanic eruption at Kilauea led to the destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses. The volcano has erupted in January and June of this year.
