WASHINGTON (dpa): Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano has erupted anew, spewing inclined lava fountains from its north vent along a length of some 300 metres, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said on Saturday.
The south vent was also erupting with lower-level activity, the USGS said in a post on X. Inclined lava fountains have been observed before on the volcano, caused by temporary obstructions within the vents.
"It's similar to if you've ever put your thumb over a garden hose, causing the water to spray out of the hose at an angle," the organisation said.
The current fountaining was the 31st episode of Kīlauea’s summit eruption, which began in December, it said. It was expected to last 12 to 15 hours.
Most of the lava fountain episodes since December 23 have lasted up to a day, with intervening pauses of several days.
The USGS warned of health risks from sulphur dioxide (SO2).
Kīlauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes. The 1,247-metre volcano lies on Hawaii, the largest of the islands in the Hawaiian chain, which is also referred to as Big Island.
Honolulu, the capital, is on O'ahu, which lies to the north-west of Big Island. - dpa
