 |
Lava flows on the Halema'uma'u crater floor alongside several active vent sources as the Kilauea volcano erupts in Hawaii, U.S. June 7, 2023. USGS/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo |
The U.S. Geological Service (USGS) reported on Sunday that the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island started to erupt on Sunday afternoon, with flows now restricted to the adjacent crater floor.
Fissures near the volcano's crater's base are producing lava flows on the crater floor, according to webcam photos.
While the eruption "does not represent a lava hazard to populations," the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency noted on X, the social networking site that replaced Twitter, that "volcanic particles and gases may cause respiratory issues for anyone exposed."
Strong seismic activity and a "rapid uplift" of the peak, according to USGS, preceded the eruption. While assessing the eruption, the government changed the volcanic alert from watch to warning and increased Kilauea's aviation color code from orange to red.
Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is situated in a restricted region of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Several earthquakes and a significant eruption at Kilauea in 2019 caused the destruction of hundreds of houses and businesses.
This year's eruptions of the volcano occurred in January and June.
Click here for more trending news
You can also follow us on our Facebook page
You can also follow us on our Twitter page