Hawaii's Kilauea volcano has not erupted, but an increase in volcanic activity has been observed, U.S. Geological Survey officials announced Thursday.
The USGS said there were several small increases in seismic activity from Saturday to Tuesday. Officials said seismic activity remained low on Wednesday, with about eight earthquakes occurring, according to the USGS. A total of about 110 small earthquakes have occurred recently, most of them less than magnitude 2.0.
However, volcanologists say the ground around the volcano's summit continues to expand, and seismic activity suggests it is due to an increased amount of magma building up and accumulating beneath the summit. states.
The USGS maintains a yellow advisory level for this phenomenon. This means the volcano is showing signs of increasing unrest.
Following reports of recent activity and new ground movement, the USGS noted hazardous conditions in the area, including uneven terrain, crater wall instability, and rockfall.
Due to the increased activity, the Hawaii Volcano Observatory announced it would provide daily updates instead of its usual once a week.
Kilauea's last eruption occurred near Napau Crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park between September 15th and 20th.
The eruption's lava flow covered more than 880,000 square meters (217 acres). The eruption created a 1,600-foot-high “crack,” or fissure, near the crater.
Since then, the rate of seismic activity and ground movement has decreased significantly. According to the USGS, magma continues to move at a low rate, but the supply of magma within the volcano could lead to future eruptions.
