New Delhi, May 27 -- Hawaii's Kilauea volcano roared back to life on Sunday afternoon, unleashing lava fountains that soared over 1,000 feet high and blanketing the summit crater in molten rock. The US Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) confirmed the eruption began around 4:15 p.m. local time at the north vent of Halemaʻumaʻu, a pit crater within the volcano's summit caldera.

By 5:15 p.m., the south vent also became active, spewing lava up to 800 feet. The dramatic eruption lasted several hours, ending just after 10 p.m., according to HVO's status report.

The eruption released a large plume of volcanic material - including ash, gas, and Pele's hair, a glass-like volcanic fiber - that reached at least 5,000 ...