In Pictures

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupts, shooting jets of lava into the sky

The eruption remains within the mountain’s summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Lava erupts from the Kilauea volcano — Lava erupts from vents on the west part of the caldera wall, during a new eruption within the summit caldera of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, US, December 23, 2024 [USGS/N Deligne/Handout via Reuters]

Lava continues to spew from one of the world’s most active volcanoes, days after the eruption of Kilauea on Hawaii’s Big Island began.

The eruption, which began on Monday, has stayed within the mountain’s summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Live images broadcast online by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) showed a burst of lava spewing from the Halema’uma’u crater, on the northwest rim of the caldera, early on Wednesday.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began just after 2:00am local time (12:00 GMT) on Monday.

“At 4:30am [14:30 GMT], lava fountains were observed with heights up to 80 meters [262 feet],” the agency said.

“Molten material, including lava bombs, is being ejected from the vents on the caldera floor up onto the west caldera rim.”

The eruption occurred in an area that has been closed to the public since 2007 due to hazards including crater wall instability and rockfalls. Visitors to the park were able to watch the foundations at a distance from an overlook spot.

This week’s eruption is the sixth in Kilauea’s summit caldera since 2020.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Kilauea also erupted in June and September.

A lake of active lava in the summit caldera of the Kilauea volcano glows — A lake of active lava in the summit caldera glows as the sun rises during a new eruption at Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, on December 23, 2024. [USGS/N Deligne/Handout via Reuters]

Lava shoots out during an eruption of the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii — In this photo provided by the National Park Service, an eruption takes place on the summit of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, December 23, 2024. [Janice Wei/NPS via AP Photo]

A plume of smoke from an eruption of the Kilauea volcano — A plume of smoke is seen at the site of the Kilauea volcano eruption, December 23, 2024. [Janice Wei/NPS via AP Photo]

People look on as lava shoots out during an eruption of the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii — People watch the Kilauea volcano eruption on December 23, 2024. [Janice Wei/NPS via AP Photo]

Lava erupts from the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii — Lava erupts from vents on the western part of the caldera wall, feeding lava flows that cover the area of Halema'uma'u crater during the Kilauea volcano eruption. [USGS/M Zoeller/Handout via Reuters]

A geologist observes the Kilauea volcano eruption on Hawaii — A US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist checks a webcam located on the rim of the caldera, December 23, 2024. [USGS/M Patrick/Handout via Reuters]