Kilauea Volcano: Hawaii

• 31 Aug 2021

Why in News

Recently, a surge of earthquakes and the ground swelling at the southern part of the crater was noticed at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano.

• A volcano is an opening on the surface that allows material warmer than its surroundings to escape from its interior.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • Kilauea, also called Mount Kilauea (“Much Spreading” in Hawaiian), is located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the southeastern part of the island of Hawaii, US.
    
    • Kilauea’s slopes merge with those of the nearby volcano Mauna Loa on the west and north.
  • It is an elongated dome built of lava eruptions from a central crater and from lines of craters extending along east and southwest rifts, or fissures. The volcano’s 4,090-foot summit has collapsed to form a caldera.
    
    • A caldera is a depression created after a volcano partially collapses after releasing the majority of its magma chamber in an explosive eruption.
• Eruptive history:
  
  • The caldera was the site of nearly continuous activity during the 19^th century and the early part of the 20^th century.
  • It is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, having erupted 34 times since 1952.
    
    • From 1983 to 2018, it erupted almost continuously. In December 2020, It erupted at the crater, creating a lake with enough lava to fill 10 Hoover dams. That eruption ended in May 2021.
• Recently Erupted Volcanoes:
  
  • Sangay Volcano: Ecuador
  • Taal Volcano: Philippines
  • Mt. Sinabung, Merapi volcano, Semeru volcano (Indonesia)
• Volcanoes in India:
  
  • Barren Island, Andaman Islands (India's only active volcano)
  • Narcondam, Andaman Islands
  • Baratang, Andaman Islands
  • Deccan Traps, Maharashtra
  • Dhinodhar Hills, Gujarat
  • Dhosi Hill, Haryana

Source: TH