Crater collapse causes lava explosion on Hawaii’s Kilauea

HONOLULU (AP) — Molten lava and rocks went flying through the air on Hawaii’s Kilauea (kih-luh-WAY’-uh) volcano after an explosion caused by the partial collapse of a crater wall.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says the collapse Sunday triggered a small explosion, spreading lava and debris around the rim of the crater.

The explosion happened on Kilauea’s Halemaumau (hah-LE’-mah-oo-mah-oo) Crater.

Video of the event shows a wall of rocks falling into a lava lake that has been rising over the past week. The USGS says fist-size chunks of rock were thrown onto the closed Halemaumau visitor overlook.

The area has been closed since 2008 when the lava lake formed, and no one was injured.

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was felt in the area early Monday morning, according to the USGS.

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