According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is currently erupting for the third time this year.
The USGS reported that on Sunday at 3:15 p.m. local time, the Kilauea summit webcam images and field reports showed “eruptive activity,” which “indicated that an eruption has begun within Halema’uma’u crater and on the down dropped block to the east in Kilauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.”
The USGS also stated that “a period of strong seismicity and rapid uplift of the summit preceded the eruption.”
It added that the initial stages of eruptions are dynamic. “Webcam footage reveals fissures at the Halemaumau crater’s foundation, producing lava flows on the crater floor. Since the activity is limited to Halemaumau, the risks will be reevaluated as the eruption continues.
This year, the volcano has erupted in June and January.
As a consequence of the ongoing activity, the USGS says its Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is “elevating Kilauea’s volcano alert level from WATCH to WARNING and its aviation color code from ORANGE to RED as this eruption and associated hazards are evaluated.”
According to the website, a red aviation code indicates an eruption with “significant emission of volcanic ash” into the atmosphere.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency stated on X, formerly Twitter, that “[a]t this time, Kilauea’s lava is confined to the summit and does not pose a threat to nearby communities.”
“However, eruptions emit volcanic particles and gases that may cause breathing difficulties in exposed individuals,” the report continued.
According to the USGS, volcanic gas consists predominantly of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Volcanic gas can have far-reaching effects downwind, producing a haze known as vog or volcanic smog.
The USGS added that smog poses a threat to humans, crops, and animals. Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes on the globe, with its January eruption lasting 61 days.
Prior to that, the second-largest volcano in Hawaii erupted in September 2021 and remained active for 16 months.