One of the most active volcanoes on earth is erupting in Hawaii. The Kīlauea volcano has already started creating lava flow from its summit.
U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption is in “full swing.”
Because the eruption is confined to the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, no homes are threatened, but the eruption is “creating fountains that were up to 100 feet tall and thick plumes of smoke,” according to KGMB-TV. The volcanic gas and heavy vog (a mix of volcanic gases and oxygen) are the main cause for concern, according to officials.
Many have gone to the Hawaii’s national park to watch the eruption, The Wall Street Journal reported.
“We continue to work with USGS scientists to receive the latest volcanic updates, and remind visitors that the eruptive activity and accessibility could change at any time,” Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh told the paper.
The alert for the eruption has been raised to “warning” while aviation’s code has been changed to red, according to reports.
Kilauea had its last major eruption in 2018 that destroyed more than 700 homes, and many were left displaced. Before that, the volcano had been slowing erupting for decades but wasn’t a threat because the lava that flowed from it occasionally hit rural farms and homes.
Little eruptions can happen for years before a volcano fills up, experts say.
Kīlauea is Hawaii’s youngest volcano and is among the world’s most active.