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Hawaii Kilauea volcano erupts, lava confined to crater

By AAP Newswire

Jun 8, 2023

The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island has erupted and lava flows are currently confined to the surrounding crater floor, the US Geological Survey says.

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Kilauea last erupted in January, with activity stretching into March, the USGS said.

The organisation's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected a glow in Kilauea summit webcam images on Wednesday at 4.44am, indicating a new eruption.

"The opening phases of eruptions are dynamic," the USGS said in an advisory.

"The activity is confined to Halema'uma'u (crater) and the hazards will be reassessed as the eruption progresses."

The USGS said it is elevating Kilauea's aviation colour code from orange to red as it evaluates the eruption.

Located in a closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea is one of the world's most active volanoes.Â

In 2019, a string of earthquakes and major eruption at Kilauea led to the destructions of hundreds of homes and businesses.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press