Hawaii's Kilauea erupts again: Lava soars over 1,000 feet in fiery spectacle
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano roared back to life on Sunday afternoon, unleashing lava fountains that soared over 1,000 feet high and blanketing the summit crater in molten rock. The US Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) confirmed the eruption began around 4:15 p.m. local time at the north vent of Halemaʻumaʻu, a pit crater within the volcano's summit caldera.
By 5:15 p.m., the south vent also became active, spewing lava up to 800 feet. The dramatic eruption lasted several hours, ending just after 10 p.m., according to HVO's status report.
The eruption released a large plume of volcanic material — including ash, gas, and Pele's hair, a glass-like volcanic fiber — that reached at least 5,000 feet into the atmosphere.
'Primary hazards include high levels of volcanic gas,' HVO warned. 'These can interact with the atmosphere to form vog [volcanic smog], which may affect people, animals, and agriculture downwind.'
Sunday's display marked the 23rd eruptive event since Kilauea's renewed activity began on December 23, 2024. Most episodes have lasted less than 24 hours, and this latest one followed that pattern.
Jets of lava are spraying into the air, forming neon-orange fissures across the crater floor.
'Lava fountains from the north vent are exceeding 1,000 feet,' USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory noted.
Known as one of the world's most active volcanoes, Kilauea has been in near-constant activity since 1983. It shares the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with its larger but less active neighbor, Mauna Loa — the biggest volcano on Earth, which last erupted in 2022.
The fiery shows have become a major draw for visitors.
While the current activity is limited to the crater floor, scientists continue to monitor the situation closely.
Live streams of the ongoing volcanic activity are available through the USGS YouTube channel for those hoping to witness nature's fiery spectacle from a safe distance.
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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Watch: Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano erupts again, unleashing lava fountain over 1,000 feet, officials warn of health risk
The most recent eruption of a volcano on Hawaii's Big Island sent lava gushing more than 1,000 feet into the sky on Sunday. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, which is roughly 200 miles and a number of islands southeast of Honolulu, was the site of the eruption. Kilauea and Mauna Loa are situated in the national park and the latter is the world's largest active volcanoes. According to the US Geological Survey, Kilauea, which has a peak elevation of 4,091 feet, is among the most active volcanoes in the globe. It has been experiencing a lava eruption from its Halemaumau crater since December 23. The current eruption from Halemaumau, which is a component of the greater caldera at the summit of Kilauea, is on its 23rd episode. USGS updates indicate that the May 25 eruption lasted approximately six hours in two of Halemaumau's vents, with the south vent stopping at 10:25 p.m. local time and the north vent ending at 9:48 p.m. The main concerns of officials are high concentrations of volcanic gas, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and water vapor, which can have severe consequences downwind. A visible haze of volcanic smog, known as vog, is produced when sulfur dioxide mixes with the environment. They can lead to respiratory issues as well as other health issues when vog and sulfur dioxide levels are high. Other issues include volcanic debris from lava fountains and what is referred to as 'Pele's hair.' The volcanic glass strands that make up Pele's hair can group together to resemble tumbleweeds. Also Read: Did Trump just express anger amid claims Harvard rejected Barron Trump? 'It's too much' Although strong winds can send the light particles downwind, the volcanic shards fall within a few hundred yards of eruptive vents. Pele's hair and other pieces on the ground can irritate skin and eyes, therefore officials advise locals and tourists to limit their exposure to these particles.
Mint
6 days ago
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Hawaii's Kilauea erupts again: Lava soars over 1,000 feet in fiery spectacle
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano roared back to life on Sunday afternoon, unleashing lava fountains that soared over 1,000 feet high and blanketing the summit crater in molten rock. The US Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) confirmed the eruption began around 4:15 p.m. local time at the north vent of Halemaʻumaʻu, a pit crater within the volcano's summit caldera. By 5:15 p.m., the south vent also became active, spewing lava up to 800 feet. The dramatic eruption lasted several hours, ending just after 10 p.m., according to HVO's status report. The eruption released a large plume of volcanic material — including ash, gas, and Pele's hair, a glass-like volcanic fiber — that reached at least 5,000 feet into the atmosphere. 'Primary hazards include high levels of volcanic gas,' HVO warned. 'These can interact with the atmosphere to form vog [volcanic smog], which may affect people, animals, and agriculture downwind.' Sunday's display marked the 23rd eruptive event since Kilauea's renewed activity began on December 23, 2024. Most episodes have lasted less than 24 hours, and this latest one followed that pattern. Jets of lava are spraying into the air, forming neon-orange fissures across the crater floor. 'Lava fountains from the north vent are exceeding 1,000 feet,' USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory noted. Known as one of the world's most active volcanoes, Kilauea has been in near-constant activity since 1983. It shares the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with its larger but less active neighbor, Mauna Loa — the biggest volcano on Earth, which last erupted in 2022. The fiery shows have become a major draw for visitors. While the current activity is limited to the crater floor, scientists continue to monitor the situation closely. Live streams of the ongoing volcanic activity are available through the USGS YouTube channel for those hoping to witness nature's fiery spectacle from a safe distance.
Time of India
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Decoding China's rare-earth strategy: More resilient than it seems
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Consequently, China holds the highest number of patents in mining technology. Also read: China's rare-earth controls are not the masterstroke they seem Supply chain risk is another very critical factor in the REE geopolitics. China has previously demonstrated her ability to withhold the supply causing more than 5x price surge in the critical minerals when it has temporarily halted the supply to Japan following a maritime dispute in 2010. Post Covid-19 pandemic there have been multiple initiatives to de-risk the supply chain however China's mining scale and global footprint makes it non-viable for other countries to initiate in the mining of critical minerals. Additionally, China is known to use dumping strategy and deflate prices. Canada's Deputy Prime Minister accused China of stifling critical minerals start-ups and disrupting any attempts to create alternative avenues. 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Recycling does offer a sustainable and supplemental route for sourcing REEs and critical minerals, but it cannot replace mining. It remains a secondary source with limited scale. Establishing recycling infrastructure demands high investment and long lead times. As per the data from Internation Energy Agency, from 2015–2023, recycled shares of copper and nickel fell by 4%, while cobalt and lithium recycling stayed below 10%. (AI-generated image) Any retaliatory or diversification strategy must be rooted in patience, steady technological advancement, and geopolitical pragmatism. Disengaging from China entirely is neither practical nor immediate. Building alternative capacities and reducing dependency will take sustained effort over many years, requiring coordinated national vision and international partnerships. After the Covid-19 pandemic, India aimed to reduce reliance on China for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). Yet, progress has been slow. According to Pharmaceutical Exports Promotion Council imports of bulk drugs rose 13.06% in the first two months of 2024–25 compared to the previous year, indicating continued and even growing dependency on Chinese supplies. In conclusion, China's rare-earth dominance is not a fragile or accidental monopoly, it is a product of deep, deliberate, and sustained strategy. With strong government support, cutting-edge processing technologies, world-leading educational institutions, and a proven willingness to deploy market-disruptive measures like price dumping or export bans, China has built a formidable ecosystem. Attempts to counter this dominance must acknowledge the scale of the challenge. The narrative of Beijing's self-defeating strategy overlooks the resilience and adaptability that underpins China's critical minerals playbook one that continues to outpace global responses. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
