‘Unbelievable’: Crowds flock to Kilauea summit after eruption resumes

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Crowds are flocking to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park after Kilauea began erupting again after a pause in mid-December.

The volcano’s eruption resumed around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, triggering a stream of cars heading out to the crater summit to view the spectacular sight.

Those who went out to see the glow at night said the eruption was an amazing surprise.

Many of them said they came to Hawaii Island hoping to see Mauna Loa — the eruption that was going on less than a month ago. They were disappointed thinking they weren’t going to see any of that, but were excited about this news.

“We saw that Mauna Loa was erupting, and we decided to take the opportunity of Christmas break to come down here,” said Karen Dalton, who is visiting from Chicago.

“Because my husband is a geologist, we thought, well, it’s perfect. Unfortunately, that stopped erupting. But now we got this surprise at the end of our trip.”

CONTINUING COVERAGE:

• Kilauea resumes eruption at summit crater after nearly month-long pause
• PHOTOS: Here’s a look at Kilauea’s spectacular glow as eruption continues

Doris Vaske, who’s visiting from Iowa, said she and her family felt the same way.

“It’s just unbelievable. We didn’t think that we would get to see anything like this at all. And to actually have this happen on our last day in Hawaii is just spectacular, just awesome,” Vaske said.

Crowds are expected to grow in the following days. But for how long this eruption will last, geologists say it’s difficult to tell.

Copyright 2023 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.