Hurricane Hector update: Hawaii map – where is Big Island volcano? Will Hector hit Kilauea

Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is still spewing lava from its fiery depths as hot red rivers burn across Big Island.

With a new eruption phase having set in during May, Kilauea continues to rage on and has formed an outcrop of new land one kilometre long.

The Pacific islands are now under threat from encroaching hurricane Hector which is spinning with 135 mph winds just 2,000 miles away.

The US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) are closely monitoring the storm, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) monitors Kilauea.

Where is the Kilauea volcano?

Big Island’s most active resident volcano sits in the south east of the island, where it is flooding the beach of Kapoho Bay.

Well established channels of lava flowing into the ocean triggered worries recently as overflows began to push lava in new directions.

As the volcano has progressed in recent months, thousands of people and hundreds of properties have been destroyed.

There are fears that Hurricane Hector making landfall could further provoke the volcano, and hurricane force winds could be on track for a collision.

Will Hurricane Hector make landfall on Big Island?

At the moment, Hurricane Hector is positioned near the Pacific Ocean, about 2,190 kilometres (1,360 miles) from Hawaii’s south point.

The hurricane will continue to surge forwards towards Big Island, where it is likely the full force will batter the area.

Kilauea is located around this part of the island, and will at least see some significant storms as a result.

The possible impact of the hurricane on the volcano itself is up for debate, however, as scientists are at odds over the potential impact.

Some researchers believe low pressure coming from hurricanes could have a knock-on effect for nearby volcanoes.

Kilauea’s summit has recently seen some seismic activity which has resulted in some rim collapses.

Hurricane force winds could prompt further cave-ins, as the summit at Kilauea remains unpredictable.

Hurricane Hector became a Category 4 storm for a few hours early on Sunday, before dipping back into category 3.

At category three, the winds could still reach up to 110mph and the hurricane is still expected to be a dangerous force as it heads across the Pacific.

Setting down as a major hurricane, the Ocean View and Naalehu areas will be at the mercy of strong winds and rain.

However, the hurricane is still moving quite far off the main Hawaiian islands, so the course could yet change.