Kīlauea Photo Gallery: Lava fountains, volcano plume and traffic

Episode 43 of the Kīlauea eruption caused Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to close, backed up traffic on Highway 11 and produced a volcanic plume that covered the sun, turning it red.

The National Weather Service reported that the plume from the eruption reached 25,000 feet above sea level.

Ground-level sensors near the eruptive vents indicated that wind blowing from the south would cause volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material to be distributed to the north direction from Halemaʻumaʻu, similarly to Episode 41.

Tephra and ashfall began accumulating in Volcano Village and in the National Park shortly after the eruption began at 9:17 a.m. on Tuesday, which caused the closure of the park and subsequently the closure of Highway 11 between mile markers 24 in Volcano and 40 in Kaʻu.

All motorists, except for residents or overnight visitors with reservations in the area, must turn around.

Park officials were unsure of how many people were being evacuated from the summit, however, with a cruise ship visiting the island today, officials estimated hundreds, maybe a few thousand people were in the park when the tephra started to fall.