An eruption from the Kilauea volcano’s summit shot ash and smoke into the air early Thursday on Hawaii’s Big Island, and the resulting plume is expected to cover the surrounding area, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Nearby residents are being asked to shelter in place if they are in the path of the ash plume, which the wind is carrying to the southeast of the volcano.
“Driving conditions may be dangerous so if you are driving pull off the road and wait until visibility improves,” an alert from the observatory warned.
Thursday’s eruption is just the latest volcanic activity contributing to the nightmare on the Big Island since the volcano first went off May 3.
An ash plume Wednesday rose roughly 12,000 feet into the air, and on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey issued a red alert, which means a major eruption is imminent or underway and ash could affect air traffic.
It is not clear if this was a phreatic eruption, which US Geological Survey officials have been saying is capable of sending ash plumes as far as 12 miles away from the summit. – READ MORE
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