September 17, 2024 —Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption overflight

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. This morning, several lava fountains approximately ten meters (yards) high are generating lava flows on the floor of Nāpau Crater. Currently, the fissure system in Nāpau is about 0.5 km long (.3 mi) and cuts east-west across the northern crater floor. As of 8:30 AM, approximately 25-30% of Nāpau Crater floor has been covered by lava, which is confined to the crater. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.