Watch live: Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii

Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted again Tuesday, continuing a pattern of activity that has persisted for nearly two months.

Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has erupted intermittently since December 23. This marks the ninth eruptive episode, with previous bursts lasting between 13 hours to eight days, followed by pauses.

Despite the ongoing activity, no residential areas have been threatened by lava flows. The eruption remains confined to the summit crater, where visitors have gathered at overlook sites to witness the event.

Watch a live stream of the latest eruption below.

Why It Matters

Kilauea’s activity is closely monitored because of its potential to affect nearby communities and infrastructure. While the current eruption is limited to the national park, past eruptions have destroyed homes and roads, most notably in 2018 when lava covered nearly 14 square miles and forced thousands to evacuate.

Hawaii’s volcanic landscape is in constant flux, and scientists use each eruption to improve monitoring techniques and better understand future risks.

What To Know

The eruption, which began at 10:16 a.m., sent lava onto the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Roughly 30 minutes later, a vent ejected lava about 330 feet (100 meters) into the air, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Kilauea, located about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Honolulu, is one of five volcanoes that make up the Big Island of Hawaii. The volcano’s summit is about 4,091 feet (1,247 meters) above sea level.

Since late December, the volcano has erupted multiple times, with varying intensities. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to track seismic activity, gas emissions, and ground deformation to assess any potential changes in behavior.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park remains open to visitors, with designated viewing areas allowing safe observation of the ongoing eruption.

• Episode One, December 23, 2024, 02:20 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time. Duration: 14 hours.
• Episode Two, December 24, 2024, 08:00 a.m. HST. Duration: 15 hours.
• Episode Three, December 26, 2024, 08:00 a.m. HST. Duration: 8.5 days.
• Episode Four, January 15, 2025, 09:00 a.m. HST. Duration: 3 days.
• Episode Five, January 22, 2025, 02:30 p.m. HST. Duration: 14 hours.
• Episode Six, January 24, 2025, 11:28 p.m. HST. Duration: 13 hours
• Episode Seven, January 27, 2025, 10:41 p.m. HST. Duration: 16 hours
• Episode Eight, February 4, 2025, 07:23 p.m. HST. Duration: 22 hours
• Episode Nine, February 11, 2025, 10:16 a.m. HST.

What People Are Saying

In a statement, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said: “HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue an eruption update tomorrow morning unless there are significant changes before then.”

What Happens Next

Each eruption since December last year has continued for 13 hours to eight days, with pauses in activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

This article contains reporting by the Associated Press.