Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts again, lava fountains reach 150 meters

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano experienced its 52nd eruption episode since December 2024, sending lava fountains soaring up to 150 meters into the air. The event, which began on the night of July 28-29, lasted for approximately 7.4 hours within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

During the eruption, an estimated 4.7 million cubic meters of volcanic material were ejected, enough to cover nearly half of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor. The most intense activity occurred in the northern part of the crater, where lava reached its peak height. While the southern vent showed less vigorous activity, both vents released gases and flames in the final minutes before the eruption ceased.

The lava flows were confined to the crater and the southwestern part of the Kaluapele caldera, posing no threat to residential areas. A plume of gas and ash rose to 5,800 meters above sea level, later stabilizing around 3,000 meters. Fine ash was detected in public access areas of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

The volcanic alert level remains at 'Yellow' (Advisory), signifying increased activity above normal background levels. The aviation color code is also at yellow. While current seismic and tiltmeter measurements show no active eruption, they suggest that activity could restart. A low-frequency seismic pulse, characteristic of a pause period, was also detected.

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A lava fountain and a full moon – Kīlauea eruption episode 52 happened for about 7.5 hours the night of July 28-29. The lava fountain from the north vent reached about 500 feet (150 meters).