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Lava spatters, flows inside Hawaiian volcano’s crater

This Dec. 28 photo released by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the continuing eruption of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano. (D. Downs/U.S. Geological Survey via AP)

HONOLULU (AP) — Lava spattered and flowed over the weekend inside the crater of a Hawaii volcano that began erupting in December.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the lava is confined to the summit crater of Kilauea.

The eruption began Dec. 20 within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. The observatory said there was no data to indicate magma is moving into either of Kilauea’s rift zones — areas where the volcano is splitting apart.

Vents on the northwest side of the crater spattered Saturday while erupting lava flowed through crusted-over channels into a lava lake that has formed in the crater.

This Dec. 28 photo released by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the crater in Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano. (M. Patrick/U.S. Geological Survey via AP)