Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano blasts lava 500 feet high in latest eruption

According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) updates, episode 52 of the ongoing summit eruption began at about 7:10 p.m. HST on July 28 and ended abruptly at 2:36 a.m. HST on July 29, following 7.4 hours of lava fountaining.

The highest lava fountain reached about 500 feet (150 meters) above the north vent, while volcanic plumes rose to about 19,000 feet (5,800 meters) above sea level. The south vent did not produce lava fountains during the episode but emitted flames as the eruption ended.

Scientists said the eruption is currently paused, but renewed ground inflation and continued glow from both vents indicate that episode 53 is likely. Additional monitoring data are needed to determine when it could begin.

No significant volcanic activity has been detected along Kilauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone, where seismicity and ground deformation remain low.

The eruption remains confined to a closed area within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The observatory warned that volcanic gases, including sulfur dioxide, ash and other volcanic fragments, as well as hot lava flows and unstable crater walls, continue to pose hazards near the summit.

Kilauea has been erupting episodically from two vents in Halemaʻumaʻu crater since December 23, 2024. Lava-fountaining episodes typically last less than 12 hours and are separated by pauses that can extend for several weeks. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said it continues to closely monitor the volcano and coordinate with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency authorities.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the Shiveluch volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula erupted violently on the morning of July 19, sending an ash plume up to 12 kilometers into the atmosphere.