In a surprising turn of events, Kilauea volcano in Hawaii has resumed its eruptive activity after a significant pause, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The eruption, which began on Monday around 12:30 a.m., is located in a remote area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, about a mile south of Kilauea's summit caldera and north of the Koae fault system and Hilina Pali Road.

Describing the eruption as "sneaky," Ken Hon, the USGS HVO Scientist-In-Charge, revealed that they had begun tracking the volcano's activity on Sunday noon, following a peaceful morning. However, as the day progressed, the seismometers recorded increasing levels of seismic activity, which peaked at around 8 p.m. and was accompanied by a significant deflation.

The eruption is contained within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and poses no immediate threat to the nearby community. However, as a precautionary measure, the Volcano Alert Level has been raised from "watch" to "warning." The aviation color code has also been upgraded from "orange" to "red."

Kilauea's last eruption in this particular region occurred in December 1974 and lasted only six hours. Hon explained that such eruptions in this remote area are extremely rare, with only two instances in the past 250 years.

As experts closely monitor the situation, it remains uncertain how long the eruption will last, though indications suggest it may be short-lived. The USGS has stated that rates of seismicity and ground deformation in the surrounding areas remain low.

While lava glow can be seen from certain vantage points, such as Uekahuna and overlooks at the summit including Volcano House, the eruption is mostly out of view from the USGS webcams. As a result, no safe lava-viewing locations have been established at this time.

During the period between 4:50 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., at least 30 earthquakes measuring at least magnitude 2.5 were recorded at the summit, with the strongest measuring a magnitude 4.2 at approximately 9:12 p.m.

This latest eruption marks a continuation of Kilauea's activity, as it last erupted in September 2023. As the situation continues to evolve, updates will be provided as more information becomes available.