Lava erupts from the crater of the Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii, USA. Photo: AFP/TTXVN
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the agency began detecting activity at the Kilauea volcano on the morning of June 7. The eruption range is in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, far from population centers.
The USGS said the main concern is the level of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emitted from Kilauea, which could spread widely in the atmosphere and create a layer of smog. This type of smog can make it difficult for people and animals to breathe, and can also affect crops.
Eruptive activity can also cause a phenomenon known as “Pele’s hair” – very fine glassy structures formed from cooling volcanic lava during an eruption. These fibers can cause skin irritation and eye problems. Pele is the name of the Hawaiian god of volcanoes.
Kilauea volcano erupted just months after a larger volcano nearby, called Mauna Loa, erupted.
Kilauea is much smaller than Mauna Loa, but much more active and often attracts tourists who take helicopter flights to see it on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of six active volcanoes on the Hawaiian Islands. It erupted almost continuously from 1983 to 2019.
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