The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that another small explosion, the third so far, occurred at the Halemaumau vent on Kilauea early on the morning of Wednesday 16 April:

A third small explosion apparently occurred just before 4 am this morning [14:00 GMT], slightly more than 24 hours after the inflation part of the most recent DI [deflation-inflation] tilt event started. The exact timing of the explosion is unknown because it was not observed but it must have happened at a time when the vent was obscured from HVO by fog. The most likely geophysical signature of the event was a seismic signal just before 4 am. The explosion deposited faintly pink ash downwind across the Halema`uma`u overlook parking lot and along a section of Crater Rim Drive. The ash appeared to be rock dust with no volcanic glass fragments.

Kilauea has also been putting on a pyrotechnic show recently, with a glowing plume emerging from the Halemaumau vent, although no incandescent particles have been ejected for the past few days. Both seismic background levels and sulphur dioxide levels remain elevated. Yesterday morning Hawaii Civil Defense recommended evacuation of the Ocean View estates in Kau district because of the high levels of sulphur dioxide, but subsequently cancelled the recommendation as the SO² levels fell.

I’m very late catching up with this, but the second in a series of essays about living with Kilauea by a local resident has been posted at the Virtual Scratchpad blog: ‘Living with Hawaii’s active volcano can leave you breathless’. It’s a very vivid picture of the realities of vog – that nasty gassy haze volcanoes like to pump out from time to time. It’s all very well writing about volcanoes from a distance, having them as near neighbours is a very different matter.

For all our Kilauea coverage: Kilauea << The Volcanism Blog.

Information
Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program – summary information for Kilauea (1302-01-)
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory – main page for the HVO
HVO Kilauea Status Page – the latest activity reports for Kilauea

News
Civil Defense cancels evacuation recommendation – KPUA Hawaii News, 16 April 2008
Another blast reported at Kilauea crater – Honolulu Advertiser, 16 April 2008
Kilauea: another explosion, evacuation advisory – Hawaii Magazine, 16 April 2008