HAWAII ISLAND — Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island began erupting again early Monday morning following increased earthquake activity.
United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported that webcam footage showed the new eruption began at 2:20 a.m. within Kaluapele, the summit caldera, with the eruptive activity confined to Halemaumau and the down-dropped block within the caldera.
USGS reported Kilauea stabilized at around 3:30 p.m. and that there was no immediate danger to residents as volcanic activity was limited and confined to an area at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. However, they did warn that the most immediate threat was volcanic vog.
“Vog forms when volcanic gas interacts with the atmosphere and sunlight, resulting in a hazy mixture of SO2 gas and aerosol particles,” said Katie Mulliken, USGS scientist.
“Neighbor islands can be prepared for vog by staying aware of how Hawaii’s active volcano is behaving. It’s important for potentially sensitive groups to limit their exposure. The Hawaii Interagency Vog Information Dashboard is a great resource that provides vog forecasts and has information about how to best protect yourself from vog,” Mulliken said.
USGS said the plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles reached elevations of 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level (2,000-4,000 feet above ground level) and winds were transporting it to the southwest, within the closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Throughout most of the day, lava fountained from vents with their initial fountain heights estimated to be about 260 to 300 feet but decreased by mid-day to about 55 yards.
Kilauea paused at around 6 p.m. with lava covering about 650 acres, including all of Halemaumau and most of the adjacent down-dropped block.
Other significant hazards remain around the Kilauea caldera from Halemaumau crater such as; wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kilauea and will remain in contact with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.
For more information, visit https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm. For more information on The Hawaii Interagency Vog Information Dashboard visit, https://vog.ivhhn.org/
