Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii spews lava 330 feet into the sky

Kilauea volcano began erupting and shooting lava into the air once again Tuesday on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has been erupting on and off for nearly two months since it burst to life on Dec. 23. The eruption has been taking place at the volcano’s summit crater inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. No residential areas have been threatened by lava.

The latest release of molten rock began 10:16 a.m. with lava flowing on to the floor of Halemaumau Crater. A half-hour later, a vent shot lava about 330 feet high. By early Wednesday morning, officials said lava fountains were reaching 16-200 feet high. “Current hazards include volcanic gas emissions and windblown volcanic glass (Pele’s Hair) that may impact Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and nearby communities,” the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said in a statement.

The observatory release video of the volcanic activity and also hosts a livestream of the eruption.

This is the ninth episode of eruptive activity since Dec. 23, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said. Earlier episodes have lasted 13 hours to eight days, with pauses in between.

Last month, CBS affiliate KGMB reported that Kilauea put on a brief spectacular show with a 26-hour eruption, with live cameras showing a mixture of volcanic gas emissions and steam from the rain at the summit. A strong glow from the north vent indicated that lava remained close to the surface of the crater, scientists said.

People have been flocking to overlook sites inside the national park for views of the eruption.

Kilauea is about 200 miles southeast of Honolulu.

By CBS News