HONOLULU (AP) – People were flocking to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to get a glimpse of fountaining lava.
The eruption that began on December 23, 2024 in a crater at the summit of Kilauea volcano has paused periodically. It resumed on Wednesday morning as a “small sluggish lava flow”, and then increased into a fountain that appeared to be 60 metres high, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said.
By the afternoon, visitors to the national park on the Big Island were able to see two fountains from an overlook.
The observatory said it was possible fountain heights would increase as more gas-rich lava erupted.
“The park is already very busy with people eager to see the eruption and we expect visitation to increase as the news gets out again,” park spokesperson Jessica Ferracane said in an email.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
The eruption is visible from many public overlooks in the park. The lava is not posing a hazard to homes or infrastructure.
