Kilauea eruptions: A look at the most active volcano on the planet
One of the most active volcanoes on Earth, Kīlauea is the youngest volcano on Hawaii's Big Island and a central feature of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK – The U.S. Geological Survey is monitoring Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano after the federal agency reported slow, steady inflation at the summit while a flurry of earthquakes has continued to rumble beneath it since the middle of April.
The USGS stressed that the volcano is not erupting, and no active lava has been seen at Kilauea since March 7. However, inflation at the summit of Kilauea is higher than the conditions observed before the Jan. 5 eruption, and additional earthquake flurries are possible.
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Kilauea is considered one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.
Before the Jan. 5 eruption of the shield volcano, the last major eruption occurred in April 2018. The four-month eruption led to the collapse of part of the volcano and destroyed more than 700 homes.
WATCH LAVA FLOW IN THESE MESMERIZING VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AROUND THE WORLD
A fountain of hot lava erupts from a crater in the Kilauea East Rift, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. June 13, 1983. | Location: Kilauea East Rift, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Island, Hawaii, USA. (Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
(CORBIS)
PAHOA, HI - MAY 17: Lava flows from Fissure 21 in the aftermath of eruptions from the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island, on May 17, 2018 in Pahoa, Hawaii. The U.S. Geological Survey said a recent lowering of the lava lake at the volcano's Halemaumau crater has raised the potential for explosive eruptions at the volcano. Authorities have confirmed a 16th lava fissure opened in the vicinity of Pahoa. (Photo by Andrew Richard Hara/Ena Media Hawaii/Getty Images)
(Andrew Richard Hara/Ena Media Hawaii)
Visitors wore masks to take pictures of the lava flows.
(Mario Tama)
On May 17, Kilauea erupted explosively and sent a plume about 30,000 feet into the sky, according to the USGS.
(Mario Tama)
HAWAII, USA - MAY 22: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY MANDATORY CREDIT - "USGS / HANDOUT" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) Ash plume rises from forest following a massive volcano eruption on Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, United States on May 22, 2018. Lava is spewing more than 60 metres into the air and spread around 36,000 square metres. (Photo by USGS / Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
(USGS / Handout/Anadolu Agency)
KAPOHO COAST, HI - Lava from Kilauea Volcano flows into Pacific Ocean.
(Don Smith)
The Kilauea Volcano erupts with great force, shooting a lava fountain high into the air. (Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
(CORBIS)
Lava erupted from a crater on Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano on Sunday, Feb.12, 2023, as volcanic activity picked up, according to the United States Geological Survey.
(Hawaii Volcanoes National Park)
Timelapse of the Kilauea eruption
(USGS)
KILAUEA VALCANO ERUPTION, HAWAII-- DECEMBER 21, 2020: 05 - Maxars WorldView-2 satellite collected new imagery of the Kilauea volcano on Hawaiis Big Island which began erupting again.
(2020 Maxar Technologies)
Lava spotted flowing from Kilauea as eruption resumes.
(USGS)
Lava spotted flowing from Kilauea as eruption resumes
(USGS)
PAHOA, HI - MAY 10: Steam and gas rise from a volcanic crack in a roadway in Leilani Estates in the aftermath of the Kilauea volcano eruption on Hawaii's Big Island on May 10, 2018 in Pahoa, Hawaii. The community has been hit hard by lava flows and volcanic gases released from fissures. Vog, a haze or smog containing gases, smoke and dust from volcanic eruptions, may eventually spread to other islands in Hawaii.
(Mario Tama)
A telephoto image of one of the low lava fountains near the center of the growing Halema'uma'u lava lake.
(USGS photo by M. Patrick.)
PAHOA, Hawaii - Lava erupted from a fissure behind this home in Leilani Estates. Molten rock devoured this property in just hours.
(Mario Tama/Getty Images)
PAHOA, Hawaii - Lava ran roadblocks across highways.
(Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Shield volcanoes are typically the largest types of volcanoes on Earth and cover a broad swath of terrain.
Hawaii’s Mauna Loa and Kilauea are classic examples of shield volcanoes and are among the most active in the world.
Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on Earth, awoke from a 38-year slumber in November 2022 and continued erupting for about 12 days before the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said lava supplies to a fissure ceased, and sulfur dioxide emissions decreased to pre-eruption background levels.