The latest episode of the ongoing eruption at a Hawaii volcano has witnessed an unparalleled display of nature’s power, with lava fountains soaring to astonishing heights of 600 feet (180 meters). The spectacle, which has been intermittently pausing and resuming for several months, captivated onlookers with its sheer magnitude and intensity.
As night fell on Tuesday, the fountains gracefully descended in height to a range of 250 feet (80 meters) to 300 feet (90 meters), as reported by the Hawaii Volcano Observatory. Nevertheless, on the following morning, a webcam continued to capture the mesmerizing sight of towering bursts of fiery red lava and billowing smoke, creating a mesmerizing contrast against the dark sky.
This extraordinary eruption commenced on December 23 within a crater at the summit of Kilauea, a renowned active volcano situated in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the captivating Big Island. Tuesday’s events marked the 12th episode of the ongoing eruption, starting off with sporadic, small lava flows in the morning that gradually evolved into continuous fountaining by the afternoon, as detailed by the observatory. The lava fountains initially reached heights of 150 to 165 feet (45 to 60 meters) before later escalating further.
Fortunately, no residential areas have been endangered by the eruption, allowing visitors to flock to designated overlook sites within the park to witness the fiery spectacle unfolding before their eyes. The duration of each fountaining episode has varied significantly, ranging from several hours to several days, with intervals of pauses lasting from less than 24 hours to as long as 12 days, in accordance with observations made by the observatory.