Kilauea volcano erupts in Hawaii, sending lava spewing along summit caldera

The Kilauea volcano erupted Monday morning on Hawaii’s Big Island following increased earthquake activity beneath its summit, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, began erupting around 2:30 a.m. local time within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, which is part of the much larger Kilauea caldera at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Webcam footage showed flowing lava and a line of fissures spewing lava fountains at the base of the crater within the summit caldera, the geological survey said.

The volcano is located along the southeastern shore of the Island of Hawaii within the national park, a popular tourist destination for those hoping to catch glimpses of volcanic activity. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

Volcanic eruption at Kilauea

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Monday raised the volcano alert level from an advisory to a warning, meaning a hazardous eruption “is imminent, underway, or suspected.” The survey also issued a red aviation color code, which indicates a “significant emission of volcanic ash” is likely, suspected or imminent, according to the USGS.

Elevated earthquake activity was first detected beneath the summit at approximately 2 a.m. local time Monday.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said it “will continue to monitor this activity closely and report any significant changes in future notices.”

The national park has not yet posted any visitor information about the volcanic activity.

Watch: Livestream captures volcanic eruption

Kilauea has erupted several times this year

Kilauea erupted most recently between Sept. 15-20 along the middle East Rift Zone, a remote and closed area of the park, amid increased seismic activity in the area, before moving into the Napau Crater. 

The volcano also erupted in June about a mile south of Kilauea caldera, marking the first eruption in that region of the volcano in about 50 years. The last one took place in December 1974.

Kilauea erupted three times in 2023, bringing more than 10,000 tourists to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to see the fountains of lava. In 2018, the volcano erupted for three months straight, destroying more than 700 structures, including 200 homes on Big Island, and displacing some 3,000 people – many of whom were unable to return home more than a year after the eruption.

Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com