What had been low-level lava flows since Thursday morning became more vigorous fountaining Friday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaii Volcano Observatory.

Kilauea began erupting around 2:30 a.m. Monday morning local time at the base of the Halemaumau Crater within the summit caldera after elevated seismic activity was detected overnight.

A toddler could have plummeted to his death on Christmas Day at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano if not for his mother's quick reaction, officials said.