Tuesday, September 17, 2024 Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is showing signs of heightened activity, causing concern among scientists and visitors. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has raised the Volcano Alert Level from an “advisory” to a “watch” due to a surge in earthquake activity, ground deformation, and gas emissions over the weekend. The U.
S. Geological Survey (USGS) also increased the aviation color code for the volcano from “yellow” to “orange,” indicating that an eruption could be imminent, although Kilauea is not currently erupting. The alert came after magma intrusion was detected in the middle East Rift Zone of Kilauea on September 14, 2024, raising the potential for an eruption in this remote area located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The recent volcanic activity started with intense earthquakes and localized ground deformation patterns detected between Maunaulu and Makaopuhi Crater on Saturday evening, according to the USGS. These signs are indicative of underground crack growth caused by magma moving beneath the surface. As of Monday morning, earthquake rates and ground deformation had increased significantly, prompting the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to close certain areas as a precautionary measure in case of an eruption.
According to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory , approximately 60 earthquakes have been detected in the area since the intrusion of magma was identified, with .