Volcano Eruption Shows Smile From Hell

It's a smiley face from hell. Hawaii's Kilauea seems like it was in a good mood after it let off some steam -- known as one of the most active volcanoes in the world, it showed a smile for everyone to see.

Kilauea volcano in Hawaii seems to be in especially good mood, credits: Paradise Helicopters pic.twitter.com/L7pa35evQO

— David Bressan (@David_Bressan) July 31, 2016

According to USA Today, Kilauea formed a smiley face from its over 80-feet-deep crater during an ongoing eruption. The lava flow, which began on May 24, reached the Pacific Ocean for the first time since 2013 on July 26. This is hardly surprising -- the United States Geological Survey noted that the volcano has been erupting continously since 1983. For those who want to see the volcano up close, hikers can get close to the area but proper precautions are advised, as well as preparations -- plenty of water is also needed, and extreme heat should be expected.

Kilauea is located on the southern shore of the island of Hawaii, and is a shield volcano said to be between 300,000 to 600,000 years old. It had emerged above sea level around 100,000 years ago. Mo4ch.com reported that local legends claim the volcano, which has a large summit caldera called Halemaumau, was the home of Pele. Pele was the goddess of fire, lightning wind, and volcanoes, and the same one who was believed to create the Hawaiian Islands.

The eruption so far does not pose a threat to local communities, although the USGS said that there could be significant hazards to visitors viewing the ocean entry, including "flying debris created by the explosive interaction between lava and water" that "creates an acidic plume laden with fine volcanic particles that can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs."