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The volcano Kilauea is very active and its visit is the dream of all the volcanologists of the world. A very important observatory was built at the edge of its crater in 1912 and since then the volcanologists follow very attentively the frequent eruptions: nearly 100 eruptions in a hundred years.

The last eruption began on January 3, 1983: it is still erupting today! This extraordinary activity takes place in a rift which notches the volcano: it has created a new cone, Pu' U O' O, which is frequently occupied by a lake of lava. From this cone, under which the magma goes up from the depth, the flows of lava circulate on the external slopes of the volcano, often in tunnels which bring back them at low altitude and since a dozen years, the lava reaches the ocean in which it is thrown. New rock platforms are built thus on the coast of the island, successive platforms which increase the island in spite of collapses which often affect them. If the lava flows destroyed good numbers of houses, completely destroyed the village of Kalapana and half-compartment several roads, they also increased the island of more than 150 hectares.

Today the volcano is still active and the lava runs in a permanent way.