Kilauea’s Napau Crater eruption paused, geologists say
USGS PHOTO BY M. ZOELLER
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists observed lava cascading over the rim of Napau Crater from a channel over 164-feet wide. Scientists said Friday that this week’s eruption “appears to be waning.”
The Kilauea eruption in a remote part of Hawaii’i Volcanoes National Park has paused, geologists with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said Friday.
As of 6 a.m., they said, the eruption “appears to be waning … Eruptive tremor in the area has decreased over the past hours and S2cam imagery shows that lava falls into Napau Crater have likely crusted over.”
The eruption began Sunday night in a remote section of the middle East Rift Zone just west of the crater and lasted about an hour then resumed the next evening.
On Wednesday, new fissures opened west of the crater and cameras recorded “lava falls cascading down the northwest walls of Napau Crater,” scientists said. “Vigorous activity continued and by the morning of Sept. 19, about two-thirds of Napau Crater floor had been covered with new lava.”
The volcano alert level remains at “watch” and the aviation color code remains at orange, officials said Friday.
The eruption has posed no threat to life or structures.
