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USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2018-05-01T07:33:24-07:00
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HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice
Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Issued: Tuesday, May 1, 2018, 4:54 AM HST
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number:
Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)
Area: Hawaii
Volcanic Activity Summary: Summary:
A collapse of the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater floor Monday afternoon on Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone has prompted increases in seismicity and deformation along a large section of the rift zone, with seismicity currently occurring as far east as Hwy 130. A outbreak of lava in a new location is one possible outcome. At this time it is not possible to say with certainty if or where such an outbreak may occur, but the area downrift (east) of Puʻu ʻŌʻō is the most likely location, as this is where seismicity and deformation have been concentrated overnight.
Residents of lower Puna should remain alert and watch for further information about the status of the volcano; watch for Hawaii County Civil Defense messages at http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts
Recent Observations:
Between about 2:00 and 4:30 pm on Monday, April 30, following weeks of uplift and increasing lava levels within the cone, the crater floor at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone collapsed.
Poor weather prevented HVO from flying over the activity or seeing details of the activity in our web cameras on site.
Following the collapse, HVO seismometers and tiltmeters recorded an increase in seismic activity and deformation from Kīlauea Volcano’s summit to an area about 6-10 miles downrift (east) of Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Overnight, this activity localized downrift of Puʻu ʻŌʻō and continued to propagate eastward along the rift zone.
The largest earthquake of this sequence so far was a magnitude 4.0 earthquake just offshore south of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō at 02:39 this morning,
Kīlauea’s summit eruption has thus far not been affected by the change at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.
Hazard Analysis:
The migration of seismicity and deformation downrift (east) of Puʻu ʻŌʻō cone following Monday’s collapse indicates that a large area along the East Rift Zone is potentially at risk for a new outbreak.
The location of any future outbreak will determine what areas are in the path of new lava flows.
The situation is rapidly evolving and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists continue to closely monitor Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone and summit. More updates will follow as information becomes available.
Contacts: askHVO@usgs.gov
Next Notice: Daily updates on all volcanic activity at Kīlauea are issued each morning and posted on out website: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/status.html
You can sign up to receive these messages automatically by visiting https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is one of five volcano observatories within the U.S. Geological Survey and is responsible for monitoring volcanoes and earthquakes in Hawai`i.
Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Issued: Tuesday, May 1, 2018, 4:54 AM HST
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number:
Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)
Area: Hawaii
Volcanic Activity Summary: Summary:
A collapse of the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater floor Monday afternoon on Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone has prompted increases in seismicity and deformation along a large section of the rift zone, with seismicity currently occurring as far east as Hwy 130. A outbreak of lava in a new location is one possible outcome. At this time it is not possible to say with certainty if or where such an outbreak may occur, but the area downrift (east) of Puʻu ʻŌʻō is the most likely location, as this is where seismicity and deformation have been concentrated overnight.
Residents of lower Puna should remain alert and watch for further information about the status of the volcano; watch for Hawaii County Civil Defense messages at http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts
Recent Observations:
Between about 2:00 and 4:30 pm on Monday, April 30, following weeks of uplift and increasing lava levels within the cone, the crater floor at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone collapsed.
Poor weather prevented HVO from flying over the activity or seeing details of the activity in our web cameras on site.
Following the collapse, HVO seismometers and tiltmeters recorded an increase in seismic activity and deformation from Kīlauea Volcano’s summit to an area about 6-10 miles downrift (east) of Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Overnight, this activity localized downrift of Puʻu ʻŌʻō and continued to propagate eastward along the rift zone.
The largest earthquake of this sequence so far was a magnitude 4.0 earthquake just offshore south of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō at 02:39 this morning,
Kīlauea’s summit eruption has thus far not been affected by the change at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.
Hazard Analysis:
The migration of seismicity and deformation downrift (east) of Puʻu ʻŌʻō cone following Monday’s collapse indicates that a large area along the East Rift Zone is potentially at risk for a new outbreak.
The location of any future outbreak will determine what areas are in the path of new lava flows.
The situation is rapidly evolving and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists continue to closely monitor Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone and summit. More updates will follow as information becomes available.
Contacts: askHVO@usgs.gov
Next Notice: Daily updates on all volcanic activity at Kīlauea are issued each morning and posted on out website: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/status.html
You can sign up to receive these messages automatically by visiting https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is one of five volcano observatories within the U.S. Geological Survey and is responsible for monitoring volcanoes and earthquakes in Hawai`i.