Kilauea Volcano Erupts in Hawaii

A well-known volcano in Hawaii has erupted recently, launching lava up to 1,000 feet into the air. This event on March 10 resulted in the temporary closure of a national park and part of a crucial highway due to volcanic debris and ash, as reported by the Associated Press.

Located on the Big Island, Kilauea experiences frequent eruptions, showering both locals and visitors with surprises. This latest eruption marks the 43rd occurrence since December 2024.

Livestream footage revealed bright red lava fountains alongside smoke. It’s difficult to predict how long these fountains will last—some can continue for several days while others might only last a few hours.

So far, the lava has remained within the summit crater of Kilauea, situated in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Luckily, it doesn’t threaten nearby structures.

However, the situation is causing problems for local communities and major roadways, with ash and debris falling nearby. Consequently, the national park around the summit has been temporarily closed, and Highway 11 has been partially shut down around both sides of the park.

Kilauea also erupted back in January, with images showing lava accumulating within the summit crater, according to the United States Geological Survey. This latest eruption came shortly after the previous one had concluded.

Using webcam feeds, scientists from the Hawaii Volcano Observatory first detected glowing lava in Halemaumau crater, signaling that the volcano had become active again. The summit of Kilauea is safely located within the national park, away from residential areas.

That said, the destructive eruption in 2018 devastated over 700 homes, making those living nearby quite wary. During that event, the volcano produced a series of explosive incidents, resulting in plumes of ash soaring thousands of meters up, a rather dramatic sight, as noted by Science magazine.