Lava from Kilauea spurted high into the air and spread out across about 300 acres (120 hectares) of the Hawaii volcanoB次元官网网址檚 summit crater floor, creating a spectacular sight as the mountain began erupting again after a few weeksB次元官网网址� hiatus.
Jillian Marohnic said the pool of lava that formed inside Halemaumau Crater was B次元官网网址渢he most beautifulB次元官网网址� she had ever seen in her 25 years of watching the volcano.
B次元官网网址淭he lake was so high. And so full. ItB次元官网网址檚 sparkling,B次元官网网址� said Marohnic, who operates the Volcano Hideaways vacation rental business with her husband in the nearby village of Volcano.
B次元官网网址淭he surface of the lake looks like stained glass,B次元官网网址� she said.
Kilauea is one of the worldB次元官网网址檚 most active volcanoes. This latest eruption began last Thursday (Jan. 5), less than one month after . Kilauea last erupted from September 2021 through mid-December. Mauna Loa rumbled to life for the first time in 38 years when it erupted for about two weeks starting in late November.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said KilaueaB次元官网网址檚 latest eruption is expected to remain inside the summit crater, which is within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and away from residential communities.
The observatory on Jan. 5 raised KilaueaB次元官网网址檚 alert level, but lowered it the next morning from warning to watch B次元官网网址渂ecause the initial high effusion rates are declining, and no infrastructure is threatened.B次元官网网址�
That is reassuring to Big Island Mayor Mitch Roth. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e feeling pretty good about where itB次元官网网址檚 at right now,B次元官网网址� he said Friday.
The beauty of the eruption is a big draw for visitors.
John Tarson, who owns EpicLava, a tour company, said he has been B次元官网网址渘onstopB次元官网网址� talking to tourists who want to see the volcano.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of people were on the island and left to go do whatever else theyB次元官网网址檙e doing in Hawaii and then learned about this. And now theyB次元官网网址檙e rerouting all their plans and coming back so that they can see this,B次元官网网址� he said.
On the night of Jan. 5, lava from Kilauea shot as high as 164 feet (50 meters) into the air B次元官网网址� roughly as high as the width of a football field B次元官网网址� but most so-called B次元官网网址渓ava fountainsB次元官网网址� were smaller, at 32 feet (10 meters) high.
The crater surface rose 32 feet (10 meters) by 7:30 p.m. as a result of all the new lava added, the observatory said.
By the next morning, the observatory said the lava fountains lost some vigor but were consistently 16 feet (5 meters) high.
This is typical behavior at the start of Kilauea eruptions, said Matt Patrick, a geologist at the observatory. B次元官网网址淭his is a cycle of collapse and refilling that Kilauea has done many, many times at its summit,B次元官网网址� he said.
These early days are the best time to see lava on the surface, he said.
Jody Anastasio, a spokesperson for the national park, said it may be hard to see the lava during the day but there will be a glow at night and all of the parkB次元官网网址檚 viewing areas will have good vantage points.
For Native Hawaiians, volcanic eruptions have deep . During Mauna LoaB次元官网网址檚 eruption, many Hawaiians took part in cultural traditions, such as singing, chanting and dancing to honor Pele, the deity of volcanoes and fire, and leaving offerings known as B次元官网网址渉ookupu.B次元官网网址�
Kealoha Pisciotta, a cultural practitioner who lives on the slopes of Kilauea, encouraged Hawaiians in Hawaii and beyond to acknowledge akua B次元官网网址� or gods and goddesses such as Pele, the deity of volcanoes and fire.
B次元官网网址淲herever you are, take time out today to reflect upon them and thank them for bringing new life and new land,B次元官网网址� she said Friday.
-Audrey Mcavoy And Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, The Associated Press
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