Volcano Watch: Kilauea activity update for August 9, 2018


Time-lapse panorama of the KÄ«lauea Caldera Wide Angle from HVO Observation Tower. August 2-9, 2018. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO


Given the dynamic nature of KÄ«lauea’s lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.

(Activity updates are written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.)

Activity on KÄ«lauea’s lower East Rift Zone and at the summit of the volcano remained greatly diminished as of August 9. LERZ activity was limited to a small pond of lava deep within the fissure 8 cone and small streams of lava entering the ocean near Isaac Hale Beach Park and at Kapoho Bay. Summit earthquakes were greatly reduced, with only 1-2 per hour. The last collapse event occurred on August 2, and no significant subsidence has been observed since August 4. However, hazardous conditions remain in both areas. Residents in the lower Puna and KÄ«lauea summit areas on the Island of HawaiÊ»i should stay informed and heed Hawai‘i County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages (http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts). HVO daily status reports are posted at https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/status.html.

At Mauna Loa, HVO geophysical monitoring networks indicate that earthquakes and deformation are near background levels, and the USGS Volcano Alert level for the volcano remains at NORMAL. HVO continues to monitor the volcano closely and will report any significant changes.

Eighteen earthquakes were reported felt in Hawaii this past week, a drop from reports in recent weeks.

Please visit HVO’s website (https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo) for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa weekly updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call for summary updates at 808-967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 808-967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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