Hawaii chaos as Kilauea Volcano erupts with lave spewing into the sky

A huge eruption has occurred at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii as lava was seen shooting from the volcano overnight. The latest burst of activity began at 3.45pm local time on Wednesday, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). It marks the 53rd episode of lava fountaining since the current eruption began in December 2024.

Lava fountains were initially shooting between 80ft and 100ft into the air, with scientists warning they could grow even higher over the following hours. Activity had been building throughout the day before a sudden increase sent lava spilling more than 2,000ft from one of the volcano’s vents.

The USGS said a gas plume was rising around 6,000ft above the ground, while ash and other material could be carried away by winds.

Officials said the eruption remains contained within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Kilauea remains at WATCH alert level, meaning an eruption is under way but currently poses limited hazards. Its aviation warning is ORANGE, signalling that volcanic activity could affect aircraft, although there are currently no or only minor ash emissions.

There have so far been no confirmed reports of flights being cancelled or airports closing as a result of the latest eruption. However, previous bursts of activity at Kilauea have disrupted flights after volcanic ash reached nearby Hilo International Airport.