Lava has returned to Pu’u ‘O’o crater after a pause of nearly 17 days in lava activity in Kilauea’s east rift zone, scientists with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said last night.

Lava was seen in Pu’u ‘O’o at 10:09 a.m. Saturday, slowly filling the deepest parts of the crater. The lava is so far confined to the crater.

An abrupt deflation occurred about the same time that lava appeared in the crater, but the deflation then switched to inflation by 11:00 a.m.  The eruption of lava was also heralded by a brief seismic tremor burst, scientists said.

The Pu’u ‘O’o crater floor abruptly collapsed on March 5 and lava began fountaining from fissures southwest of Pu’u ‘O’o later that afternoon. The Kamoamoa fissure eruption continued until March 9, when all lava activity ceased until yesterday.

The activity is visible on the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s Pu’u ‘O’o crater webcam.

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/POcam/