Latest video and photos of Kilauea fissure eruption Sunday (March 6)

MEDIA RELEASE

A fissure that opened on Kilauea’s east rift zone after Saturday’s collapse of the Puu Oo crater floor continues to erupt lava. Activity along the fissure was sporadic overnight and throughout today, with periods of quiet punctuated by episodes of lava spattering up to 25 m (80 ft) high.

The fissure is located west-southwest of Puu Oo in a remote area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Due to the ongoing volcanic activity, Park closures remain in effect in this area.

Live views of Kilauea’s fissure eruption are now possible via a Webcam installed by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) Sunday afternoon.

The webcam images, which are updated every 5 minutes, can be accessed at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/NCcam/

Measurements made by HVO scientists Sunday show the Puu Oo crater floor dropped at least 115 m (377 ft) during Saturday’s collapse. The only signs of activity within the crater Sunday were infrequent cascades of rock fragments falling from collapse blocks.

This activity is visible when Puu Oo webcam views, accessible at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/POcam/, are not obscured by volcanic fume.

Lava flows on the pali and coastal plain are still active, but sluggish. Whether these flows are residual lava draining through the tube system or outbreaks that continue to be fed by lava from the east rift zone vent is not yet known.

Based on similar events in past years, it will take a day or two to see if the lava supply has been cut off by the uprift fissure eruption.

At Kilauea’s summit, the lava lake has receded deep within the vent in Halemaumau Crater and is now barely visible in HVO’s webcam images (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/HMcam/)

Small collapses of the vent walls occasionally produce dusty-brown plumes that can be seen from Park visitor overlooks.

Earthquakes are occurring at lower rates in the Napau Crater area adjacent to the new fissure eruption and beneath the summit caldera, but seismic tremor is significantly elevated in both areas. Summit deflation continues, but began to slow Sunday afternoon.

Deflation of the Puu Oo area has slowed throughout Sunday.

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