“Kilauea volcano is erupting. Eruptive activity is currently confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the downdropped block to the east of the crater, within Kīlauea’s summit caldera. No unusual activity has been noted along Kilauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. Kīlauea volcano began erupting at approximately 3:15 pm HST this afternoon, September 10. As of 7 pm HST, multiple minor fountains remain active in the eastern portion of Halema‘uma‘u crater floor and on the downdropped block within Kilauea’s summit caldera,” says the USGS Hawaii Volcano Observatory in a bulletin.
“The line of fissures stretches approximately 0.8 miles, from the eastern part of Halema‘uma‘u crater floor extending into the east wall of the downdropped block. Lava fountain heights have decreased since the eruption onset, but remain up to about 20-25 meters (65-82 feet) high. Lava erupted from fissures on the downdropped block is flowing in a westward direction towards Halema‘uma‘u crater, the eastern portion of which is covered with actively flowing lava. The laser rangefinder is aimed at a western portion of Halema‘uma‘u crater, not near the new eruptive activity, and recorded less than 1 m (3 feet) of new lava added to that portion of the crater floor. An estimate of effusion rate will be provided after an overflight of the new eruption site tomorrow morning,” USGS continued.