Officials have raised the warning level for Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Big Island.
Kilauea started erupting again on Wednesday morning, CNN reported citing the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). The US Geological Survey's (USGS) detected a glow in Kilauea summit webcam images on June 7.
The volcano last erupted in January, with activity stretching into March, the USGS said.
Kilauea volcano shot-up fountain burst about 60m high in the early phase of the eruption on Wednesday, with the largest lava fountain consistently coming in at about 15m high, the USGS said. As the lava was flowing on the surface of the crater floor, the alert level for Kilauea was raised to red for "warning".
According to the HVO, the authorities analysed the hazards from the eruption. Kilauea's eruption is confined to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. According to officials, there is no indication that populated areas are threatened.
"At approximately 4:44am HST on June 7, 2023, the (US Geological Survey's) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory detected glow in Kilauea summit webcam images indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halema`uma`u crater in Kilauea's summit caldera, within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park," the observatory said in a statement.
Kilauea is expected to draw thousands of visitors to the national park, according to officials. Visitors have been asked to stay on marked trails and overlooks and keep out of closed areas, according to CNN.
"While an eruption is an exciting experience, keep in mind you are observing a sacred event," an Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park official said.
According to the National Park Service (NPS), eruptions have incredible spiritual significance and Kilauea's summit is sacred in native Hawaiian tradition.
Park officials said lava might be visible from many areas and overlooks surrounding Kaluapele. However, officials warned that the conditions could change at any time due to the eruptive activity and weather conditions.
The NPS on its website said: "Large amounts of volcanic gas –primarily water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) – are continuously released during eruptions of Kilauea volcano."
The eruption could also produce a phenomenon called "Pele's hair" – tiny slivers of volcanic glass that can be irritating to exposed skin, and can cause eye problems, AFP reported. Pele is the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes.
Kilauea's eruption comes months after its bigger neighbour Mauna Loa treated volcano watchers to a spectacular display.
Mauna Loa, the world's biggest volcano, put on a weeks-long show at the end of last year as it erupted for the first time in four decades, with lava fountains 60m high that sent rivers of molten rock down the flanks.
Kilauea is one of six active volcanoes on the Hawaiian islands. Although it is much smaller than Mauna Loa, Kilauea is far more active and regularly wows helicopter-riding tourists who come to see its red-hot shows on Big Island.
In 2019, a string of earthquakes and major eruption at Kilauea led to the destructions of hundreds of homes and businesses.
ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL and AFP