Summary

  • Lava started bubbling through the surface of Kilauea, on Hawaii's Big Island, earlier today

  • Kilauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes and routinely erupts

  • The eruption has been confined to the top of the volcano's caldera in a closed-off area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

  • You can keep track of the eruption by clicking Watch Live at the top of this page

Watch: Hawaii's Kilauea volcano sends jets of lava into the air

Live Reporting

Edited by Rorey Bosotti

  1. Large white clouds of smoke float upwards, almost like a forest fire

    Holly Honderich
    From Big Island, Hawaii

    From the rim of the caldera in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park you can see the massive eruption of Kīlauea, one of two volcanoes in the park.

    Glowing red lava shoots high into the air before falling back to the ground. Large white clouds of smoke float upwards, almost like a forest fire.

    Eruptions are common here.

    Big Island is currently on top of a lava producing “hot spot” in the earth, but today’s display is especially impressive, a park ranger says, telling all the tourists how lucky we are to be here.

  2. In pictures: The eruption on Hawaii's Big Island

    Our colleague Holly Honderich is currently on Big Island and has sent us some pictures of the eruption:

    Kilauea eruption from a distance. Clouds of white smoke can be seen billowing from the crater as a fountain of lava spews into the air. Trees and shrubs can be seen in the foreground
    White billowing smoke coming out of crater of Kilauea with trees at the forefront f the image

  3. Lava pools at top of Kilauea as Hawaii volcano erupts again

    Lava erupts from vents on the west part of the caldera wall, feeding lava flows that cover the area of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. Photo taken from a distance with trees and foliage framing the caldera

    One of the world's most active volcanoes has erupted again.

    Kilauea, on Hawaii's Big Island, started spewing fresh lava at around 2 am local time (12:00 pm GMT), the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports.

    Officials say there is no immediate danger to residents as volcanic activity is currently limited to a confined area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

    They warn the most immediate threat is volcanic smog which could reach inhabited areas downwind.

    The fumes contain sulphur dioxide, an irritating gas characterised by a pungent odour which can worsen symptoms for people suffering from respiratory conditions such as asthma and cardiovascular disease.

    The area of the eruption has been closed to the public since 2007 due to hazardous conditions, including rockfalls and the fragility of the crater's walls.

    This is a stream-only page so we won't be bringing you regular updates. You can follow the progress of the ongoing eruption by clicking Watch Live at the top of this page.