Holiday season tourists on the Big Island of Hawaii were treated to a glittering display of volcanic power on Monday as Kilauea erupted in the early morning hours.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the eruption began at 2:20 a.m. Hawaiian time, with lava spreading over 500 acres while Kilauea ejected “a vigorous plume of volcanic gas, which is reaching elevations estimated at 6,000-8,000 feet.”
The eruption is occurring within a closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, so tourists could watch and photograph it from a distance.
Officials said there is no immediate danger to homes and other structures on the island.
The main hazard posed by the eruption is the potential for volcanic gas to move downwind from the closed area, the USGS said.
Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and last erupted in September.
