Thermal camera time-lapse movie at Mile Marker 14.5 on Pahoa-Kalapana Road (Route 130) February 7-14, 2019. Images courtesy HDOT
Time-lapse panorama of the KÄ«lauea Caldera Wide Angle from HVO Observation Tower. February 7-14, 2019. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO
(Activity updates are written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.)
KÄ«lauea is not erupting. Rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas release have not changed significantly over the past week.
Three earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a magnitude-3.3 quake 13 km (8 mi) east of Honokaʻa at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Feb. 13 at 4:42 p.m. HST; a magnitude-2.1 quake 14 km (9 mi) southwest of Leilani Estates at 3 km (2 mi) depth on Feb. 7 at 9:43 a.m. HST; and a magnitude-4.6 quake 85 km (53 mi) southwest of Hawaiian Ocean View at 27 km (17 mi) depth on Feb. 7 at 9:06 a.m. HST.
Deformation signals are consistent with refilling of Kīlauea Volcano’s deep East Rift Zone (ERZ). Sulfur dioxide emission rates in the lower ERZ have been below detection limits since early September 2018. Sulfur dioxide emission rates at Kīlauea’s summit and middle ERZ remain low, with each generally less than 30 tonnes/day. Occasional sulfur odors detected in some areas of Hawaiʻi Island are explained in a previous Volcano Watch article: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=1392.
Hazardous conditions still exist at both the lower ERZ and summit of Kīlauea. Residents and visitors in the lower Puna District and Kīlauea summit areas on the Island of Hawaiʻi should stay informed and heed Hawai‘i County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages (http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts). HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea for any sign of increased activity.
The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL.
Please visit HVO’s website (https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo) for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.