One of the globe's most active volcanoes has erupted once more on the island of Hawaii

Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is once again venting steam and putting on quite a display for island residents.

The eruption occurred Wednesday in the Halemaumau crater at the summit of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, as reported by officials from the U.S. Geological Survey. This latest activity resulted in lava flows and plumes of volcanic gas rising dramatically into the atmosphere. Fortunately, there seems to be no threat to populated areas from this eruption.

"All indicators suggest it will remain contained within the crater," stated Ken Hon, the USGS scientist overseeing the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, to The Associated Press. "We're not observing any signs of lava moving toward the lower east rift zone where residents are located. Currently, all activity is confined to the park."

As a precautionary measure, the volcano's alert level has been elevated to "warning" and the aviation code has been updated to red.

Lava fountains seem to be emerging on the floor of Kilauea's crater. This region has previously hosted a significant lava lake during various eruptions in the volcano's history.

Early Wednesday, sensors detected a rise in earthquake activity and ground deformation, both signs of a potential eruption.

Kilauea's last major eruption in 2018 had a profound effect on the Hawaiian community, destroying 700 homes and displacing thousands. However, it also had some positive outcomes, such as creating approximately a mile of new coastline on the Big Island.

Throughout four months that year, Kilauea released enough lava to fill 320,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, enough to cover about half of Manhattan with up to 80 feet of molten rock.

Following the 2018 eruption, the summit lava lake ceased erupting and began to fill with water for the first time in recorded history, raising concerns about a potentially explosive interaction between lava and groundwater.

The section of the volcano that erupted on Wednesday had also experienced eruptions from last December through May.

Hon, the USGS scientist at the observatory, mentioned that Kilauea could continue erupting for years as the volcano accumulates magma.

"We know that magma is consistently entering Kilauea at a steady pace," Hon stated, "which means it’s either filling the volcano's interior and increasing pressure or surfacing on the ground."

Since this eruption currently poses no threat to local communities, it provides both locals and tourists an opportunity to witness Kilauea's incredible power firsthand. Officials anticipate that tens of thousands will visit the park to observe one of nature's most stunning displays.

Witnesses at the Volcano House hotel and restaurant, located about 2 miles from the crater, reported observing the eruption. Although the Volcano House is situated within the national park, it is distant enough to pose no public safety risk. The park remains accessible, but the area experiencing the eruption is off-limits to all visitors, well away from any open hiking or driving paths.

Jessica Ferracane, a spokesperson for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, informed The Associated Press that visitors to the park should exercise caution and remember that the pandemic remains a significant concern, necessitating social distancing.

"This eruption is likely to attract many visitors to the park; we are already noticing people arriving, even driving in after dark," she stated. "If you're feeling unwell, please stay home. Visit us another day. Enjoy the views from the webcam. We truly want to prevent these current eruption conditions from worsening the spread of COVID."