Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano Shows Activity With More Than Hundred Small Earthquakes

Geologists announced that a series of earth tremors have been recorded in the Kilauea volcano, according to Tuesday updates from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Approximately 140 earthquakes commenced at 4 am, with the strongest having a 3.3 magnitude.

Vulcanologists also observed a slight change in the surface of the volcano, indicating that magma is moving under the South part of Kilauea’s massive caldera, although the volcano has remained silent and no signs of lava have been detected.

The level alert has been elevated from ADVISORY to WATCH, which means that “volcano is exhibiting heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption, timeframe uncertain or an eruption is underway that poses limited hazards including no or minor volcanic-ash emissions.”

The most recent Kilauea eruption occurred on 21 December, 2020, and was accompanied by a 4.4 magnitude earthquake. Although the eruption was moderate by local standards, authorities announced a red alert.

During an earlier 2018 eruption that lasted for several months, lava flows destroyed two coastal resorts and the town of Leilani Estates, with all of its 10,000 residents evacuated. Since 1952, Kilauea has erupted 34 times.