Images

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists conducted a reconnaissance overflight of the eruption near Nāpau Crater on the middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea. They observed lava cascading over the rim of the crater from a channel more than 50 meters (about 164 feet) wide. Lava is contained within Nāpau Crater and now covers about two thirds of the crater floor.

A helicopter overflight on September 19, 2024, allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected at the middle East Rift Zone eruption site on Kīlauea. The eruptive activity continues with a fissure vent active west of Nāpau Crater generating lava flows northeast into the crater.

Weak low fountaining in a tiny lava pond within Nāpau Crater was visible during a morning Hawaiian Volcano Observatory eruption monitoring overflight on September 18, 2024. The eruptive activity has greatly decreased compared to yesterday. USGS photo by H. Winslow. 

From the ground in Nāpau Crater, spattering lava was visible above the newly formed lava flows. This eruption is taking place on the remote middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea, within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by H. Winslow. 

Although most of the lava flow field within Nāpau Crater was inactive this morning, lava was actively oozing out of a marginal area. USGS photo by H. Winslow. 

A helicopter overflight on September 18, 2024, allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected at the middle East Rift Zone eruption site on Kīlauea. The eruptive activity continues with a single low fountain active within Nāpau Crater and much of the flow field on the crater floor stagnant.

During a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight the morning of September 18, geologists observed only very weak activity at Kīlauea's middle East Rift Zone eruption site in Nāpau Crater.

Steam and volcanic gas continue to be emitted from the first fissures that erupted the night of September 15 on the middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea, west of Nāpau Crater. This photo, taken during morning monitoring overflight, looks southeast. USGS photo by H. Winslow.

This reference map depicts fissures and lava flows from the Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption as of the end of the day on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. Areas in bright red represent new lava flows since the area was last mapped during the morning of September 17, when activity was focused within Nāpau Crater.

During the evening of September 18, the glow from the middle East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea was visible from the Keauhou Trail pull-off within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

This photograph of Kīlauea's ongoing middle East Rift Zone eruption was captured during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight during the morning of September 17, 2024. Geologists observed fountaining eruptive fissures and active lava flows bisecting the floor of Nāpau Crater, just downrift (northeast) of the September 15 eruptive fissure.

This photograph of Kīlauea's ongoing middle East Rift Zone eruption was captured during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight during the morning of September 17, 2024. Fissures from the previous day's eruption continued to emit steam and gases while new fissures erupted fresh lava in Nāpau Crater. USGS photo by A. Ellis.

An early morning view of the plume of volcanic gas being emitted by the eruption on Kīlauea’s middle East Rift Zone. This view, from Halapē campground on the coast in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, shows the plume being transported downwind in a southwest direction.

This photograph of Kīlauea's ongoing middle East Rift Zone eruption was captured during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight during the morning of September 17, 2024. This photo was taken at 8:11 am H.S.T.

This reference map depicts fissures and lava flows from the Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. The presented data are current as of the final Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight of the day, which occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m.

This photograph of Kīlauea's ongoing middle East Rift Zone eruption was captured during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight during the morning of September 17, 2024. Geologists observed fountaining eruptive fissures and active lava flows on the floor of Nāpau Crater, just downrift (northeast) of the September 15 eruptive fissure.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists collected a sample of the middle East Rift Zone Kīlauea eruption in Nāpau Crater, within a closed area Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Geologists put molten lava into a metal bucket and rapidly quench it with water.

Kīlauea volcano is erupting in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park from a new fissure vent that opened within Nāpau Crater this morning, September 17, between 4:00 and 5:00 AM HST.  The eruption is occurring within a closed and remote area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists collected a sample of the middle East Rift Zone Kīlauea eruption in Nāpau Crater, within a closed area Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Geologists put molten lava into a metal bucket and rapidly quench it with water.

A view under the plume of volcanic gas being transported by wind southwest from the eruption in Nāpau Crater on the middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea.

The S2cam was deployed on September 17, 2024, to monitor the Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption. The webcam is located just east of Nāpau Crater, where the eruption is occurring, and looks to the southwest. USGS webcam image.