[Rockhounds] Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Erupts On Big Island

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

Kilauea volcano erupted overnight for the first time in more than two
years, placing Hawaii's Big Island on a red alert
<https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates>Monday morning.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the situation is "rapidly evolving."
It's unclear what, if any, damage has occurred so far.

The eruption began late Sunday within the volcano's Halemaumau crater, at
the summit of Kilauea. The HVO said it detected a "glow" within the crater
at about 9:30 p.m. local time.

Lava is cascaded into the summit water lake, boiling off the water and
forming a new lava lake. The northern fissure, pictured, was producing the
tallest lava fountain at roughly 50 m (165 ft), and all lava was contained
within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea caldera.

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/21/948715787/hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-erupts-on-big-island