© U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEYA photo showing the eruption of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Monday, just after midnight. The eruption occurred in a remote part of the summit region and, so far, does not pose a threat to any communities.
Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, began erupting at approximately 12:30 a.m. local time, about a mile south of Kilauea caldera within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a popular tourist destination that draws more than 1 million visitors per year. Webcam footage showed lava spewing from fissures in the summit, the USGS said.
Katie Mulliken, a geologist with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, told USA TODAY the eruption poses no immediate danger to residents as it, so far, has been contained to a remote part of the summit, which is inaccessible by car or trails.
"There are really no threats to any communities," Mulliken said, adding that the USGS will continue to closely monitor the volcanic activity.
It was the first eruption in this region of the volcano in almost 50 years. The last one, in December 1974, lasted about six hours.
