Hawaii: Authorities declare alert due to Kilauea volcano eruption

A new eruption of the Kilauea volcano put Hawaii on alert this Monday. The eruption began around 12:30 a.m. on Monday in the closed-off area of Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park. Although the eruption has since ceased, authorities remain vigilant due to the dynamic nature of this region, which could change quickly.

"HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue additional notices as needed," the Geological Survey wrote in a statement.

Visual observations indicate that the lava flow ceased around 12:30 pm HST on Tuesday. The lava flows had slowed between 11:00 and 12:00 p.m. HST, eventually stopping at approximately 12:30 p.m. HST. However, there are still areas with incandescence and high emissions of volcanic gases.

"Hazards are still present on Kīlauea and are described below. Residents and visitors should stay informed and follow County of Hawai‘i and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park guidelines," the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The Hawaii Volcano Observatory reported that at least six areas of the park were closed due to the situation. "The fissure eruption is in a remote area about 2.5 miles (4 km) southwest of Kīlauea caldera and is not accessible. Park rangers and scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continue to assess eruption conditions. No safe lava-viewing locations have been established at this time," the observatory explained.

Earlier, the volcano's alert level was raised from a watch to a warning, and the alert was increased from orange to red after the new eruption began.

Meanwhile, Fox Weather reported, "A glow was spotted on webcams in the area, which indicated to scientists that lava was flowing from fissures in an area that hasn’t seen an eruption since December 1974."