Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, one of the world's most active, has erupted but its lava so far is limited to its central crater and not threatening inhabited areas, authorities said Thursday.

Lava fountains began appearing Wednesday on the surface of the crater's lava lake and have reached the "height of a 5-story building," the US Geological Survey wrote on Twitter

Cracks first appeared in the Halema'uma'u crater earlier Wednesday and very quickly gave way to the lava fountains, which at times exceed a temperature of 1,100 degrees Celsius, the USGS said.

The eruptions that have regularly rocked Kilauea since the 1950s have made it a popular destination for tourists.

Officials at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where Kilauea is located, have begun mobilizing staff to cope with an expected influx of visitors.

"We do expect visitation to increase as the word gets out and spread through the weekend," Hawaii Volcanoes National Park spokeswoman Jessica Ferracane told the Honolulu Star.

Kilauea does not present any immediate danger but the USGS said it "continues to monitor the volcano closely" because the beginning of eruption phases "are dynamic and uncertain."

Kilauea is one of the five volcanoes on the island of Hawaii, the largest in this Pacific archipelago.

In 2018, a Kilauea eruption destroyed several hundred homes. About 20 people who took a boat trip to watch the magma flow into the sea were injured, including one seriously, by a jet of lava.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Dinosaurs' ascent driven by volcanoes powering climate change
Birmingham UK (SPX) Sep 28, 2021
The rise of dinosaurs coincided with environmental changes driven by major volcanic eruptions over 230 million years ago, a new study reveals. The Late Triassic Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE) saw an increase in global temperature and humidity - creating a major impact on the development of animal and plant life, coinciding with the establishment of modern conifers. Researchers analysed sediment and fossil plant records from a lake in northern China's Jiyuan Basin, matching pulses of volcanic ... read more