Kilauea Volcano erupts in remote area

Kilauea Volcano resumed erupting Monday evening in the middle East Rift Zone.

The eruption, which began at about 6 p.m., is occurring within a closed and remote area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory officials said the volcano alert level for ground-based hazards remains at “watch” and that the aviation color code remains at “orange” at this time.

Officials said the eruption does not currently pose an immediate threat to human life or infrastructure.

Chain of Craters Road, which is downslope and downwind of the erupting fissures, remains closed.

Residents of nearby subdivisions might experience volcanic gas emissions related to this activity, which could wax and wane over the coming days, officials said.

Current activity is restricted to Kilauea’s middle East Rift Zone. Rates of seismicity and ground deformation beneath the lower East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone remain low.

Scientists said “high level of volcanic gas — primarily water vapor and sulfur dioxide — are emitted during eruptions and can have far-reaching effects downwind.”

The scientists said that as sulfur dioxide is released, it reacts in the atmosphere to create volcanic smog, or vog, and create the potential for airborne health hazards to residents and visitors, damage agricultural crops and other plants, and affect livestock.

If new lava flows cover and burn vegetation and soil, they can ignite natural gas pockets in the subsurface, which can cause methane explosions, scientists said. These explosions can blast lava fragments up to several yards away and can be hazardous to observers.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor the middle East Rift Zone and is in contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.

Numerous eruptions took place in Kilauea’s middle East Rift Zone during the 1960s to 1970s. Most of these eruptions lasted from less than one day to about two weeks.