A new eruption at Kīlauea’s summit began at approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021. Lava activity is currently confined to Halema’uma’u crater within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Gas emissions in the summit region are elevated.
At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected active lava in thermal camera imagery and glow in webcam images indicating that an eruption had commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Webcam imagery shows fissures at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater generating lava flows on the surface crust of the old lava lake that was active until May 2021.
The USGS elevated Kīlauea’s volcano alert level from WATCH to WARNING and its aviation color code from ORANGE to RED, as this new eruption and associated hazards are evaluated. The activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu and the hazards will be reassessed as the eruption progresses.
The opening phases of eruptions are dynamic and uncertain. HVO continues to monitor the volcano closely and will report any significant changes in future notices.
Stay informed about Kīlauea by following volcano updates and tracking current monitoring data on the HVO web page:
https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates
or by signing up to receive updates by email at this site:
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/.
HVO is in constant communication with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the County of Hawai‘i Civil Defense Agency as this situation evolves. The eruption is currently taking place entirely within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
