Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupts, spewing lava 100 metres into the sky as spectators gather

Kilauea volcano began shooting lava into the air once again on Tuesday on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, has been erupting on and off for nearly two months since it burst to life on December 23. The eruption has been taking place at the the volcano's summit crater inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. No residential areas have been threatened by lava.

The latest release of molten rock began 10:16 a.m. with lava flowing on to the floor of Halemaumau Crater. A half-hour later, a vent shot lava about 330 feet (100 metres) high.

This is the ninth episode of eruptive activity since December 23, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said. Earlier episodes have lasted 13 hours to eight days, with pauses in between.

People have been flocking to overlook sites inside the national park for views of the eruption.

Kilauea is about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Honolulu.