Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii continues to spew lava

Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii has been erupting since January of 1983, but a new fissure called Kamoamoa cracked open last weekend and began spewing loads of lava and gas. Lava has been seen shooting up to sixty-five feet in the air ever since. Park Ranger Mardie Lane claims that 2.5 million cubic meters are spewing out of the fissure daily – enough to fill 1000 Olympic swimming pools of the molten goo. The video above provides a glimpse into the magnitude of the eruptions and the 120 acres currently covered in lava on the island of Hawaii.

So far, no major issues have been reported due to the volcanic activity. According to MSNBC though, sulfur dioxide emissions have gone from 300-400 tons per day to roughly 10,000 tons per day, meaning that the volcanic activity may have some environmental implications. The southerly trade winds have provided protection from the gases, but if the winds stop or shift, nearby civilizations could become blanketed in volcanic smog, or “vog” as it is known in Volcanologist circles.

Visitors to Hawaii are being kept away from the volcanic area, and the National Park Service has shut down all east rift and coastal trails as well as the Kulanaokuaiki campground.