A map produced by the USGS shows how the first 24 hours of the volcano's eruption has progressed and where it is heading to next.
Rift zones are areas of weakness in a volcano that are prone to volcanic activity. As the pressure builds up underground, magma ascends from deep reservoirs and forces its way up through the rock. Rift zones easily give way to cracks in their surface as a result of this pressure, producing fissures that spit out explosive fountains of lava.
"The main risk is the risk of inundation, from flowing lava," Pyle said."This will depend on where the vent is; and on the amount of lava that then erupts, and how quickly—and these will all be features that the USGS scientists will be tracking during the eruption."
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