After a recent uptick of earthquake activity, USGS announced that they’ll issue daily volcano updates now until either a volcanic eruption occurs or until seismic unrest halts at the nation’s most dangerous volcano: Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii. USGS conducted a comprehensive national volcanic threat assessment study in 2018 and they determined Kilauea to have the greatest threat score of any volcano in the U.S.; Washington’s Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier are rated second and third most dangerous.
While Kilauea Volcano is not erupting, that could change. “Increased seismicity over the past three weeks, indicates heightened activity,” USGS said in their latest update issued this morning. “Updates will be provided daily while at a heightened state of unrest.”
According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), earthquake activity has been increasing over the past three weeks beneath the summit of Kilauea. Activity has alternated between typical shallow 0.5-2.5 miles earthquakes beneath the south caldera region and 3-6 miles deep earthquakes directly beneath Kilauea caldera. While daily rates of seismicity have decreased following the deep earthquake swarm observed last Friday evening, they remain elevated. HVO adds that occasional short-lived bursts (10-30 minutes) of low frequency earthquakes continue to indicate movement of magma in the subsurface.
Kilaueaʻs summit remains inflated, but recent ground deformation remains low with tiltmeters near Sand Hill and Uēkahuna showing no significant changes in the past day. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emission rates have remained low since October 2023. An SO2 emission rate of approximately 96 tonnes per day was recorded on April 8.
HVO and USGS scientists continue to monitor measurements in real time to better understand how conditions are evolving at the volcano. HVO said that Friday night’s earthquake swarm had a strong low frequency component indicating movement of magma within the summit system. “This activity appears to have been deeper than normal activity that has preceded recent summit eruptions and HVO will continue to monitor the summit region closely,” HVO said in a statement today. “At this time, it is not possible to say with certainty if this renewed activity will lead to an eruption in the near future –or simply remain confined below ground. However, an eruption in Kilauea’s summit region, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and away from infrastructure, is one potential outcome.”
Kilauea last’s eruption was in September 2023. That eruption stretched from September 10 to September 17 and lead to spectacular lava fountains within the summit caldera. Lava was completely contained to the summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and never threatened any nearby communities or homes.
