USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2024-08-16T18:31:16+00:00

Activity Summary: Kīlauea is not erupting. Low rates of seismicity continue at the summit with low to moderate seismicity occurring in the upper and middle East Rift Zone. Inflationary ground deformation in the summit and middle East Rift Zone continues. New seismic swarms may occur with little or no warning and result in either intrusion of magma or eruption of lava in these regions. There are no significant changes in activity in the lower East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone of the volcano.

Summit Observations: Approximately 15 earthquakes were detected beneath Kaluapele (Kīlauea’s summit caldera) over the past 24 hours. Most were located south of Halema‘uma‘u at depths of 1–3 km (0.6–1.8 mi) below the ground surface with magnitudes of less than M2.0. Tiltmeters in the summit region continue to record mild inflation (about 1-2 microradian per day). This gradual inflationary trend is also seen on GPS instruments around the summit region. The most recent measurement of the summit's SO₂ emission rate was approximately 70 tonnes per day on August 13, 2024.

Rift Zone Observations: Approximately 29 earthquakes were detected beneath the upper East Rift Zone (UERZ) over the past 24 hours. All had magnitudes below M2.5 and depths ranged from 1–4 km (0.6–2.5 mi) below the ground surface. The ESC tiltmeter in the UERZ has recorded no significant changes over the past day.

Approximately 24 earthquakes were detected beneath the middle East Rift Zone (MERZ) between Maunaulu and Puʻuʻōʻō within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Most occurred near Makaopuhi Crater and Nāpau Crater at depths of 1–5 km (0.6–3 mi) below the ground surface and magnitudes less than M2.5. The POC tiltmeter, located on the north flank of Puʻuʻōʻō, continues to record motion consistent with MERZ inflation at a slow but steady rate of a few microradians per day. Ground deformation patterns recorded by the POC tiltmeter and nearby GPS stations indicate the center of deformation remains west of Puʻuʻōʻō. HVO released an Information Statement on August 8 summarizing recent activity, interpretations, and possible scenarios associated with recent activity in the MERZ.

Measurements from continuous gas monitoring stations downwind of Puʻuʻōʻō in the middle East Rift Zone—the site of 1983–2018 eruptive activity—remain below detection limits for SO₂, indicating that SO₂ emissions from this area are negligible.

At this time, there is no evidence of seismicity or ground deformation beneath the lower East Rift Zone, and Southwest Rift Zone activity remains low. 

Analysis: Pulses of earthquakes and ground deformation beneath Kīlauea's UERZ from July 22–25, 2024, represented stages of an intrusion between Pauahi Crater and Maunaulu. The intrusive event is over, and magma has been repressurizing the storage system beneath Halemaʻumaʻu and the south caldera region. MERZ earthquakes and ground deformation observed since the intrusion indicate that magma is accumulating beneath the ground in the area of Makaopuhi Crater and Nāpau Crater, a well-known magma storage region in Kīlauea’s remote middle East Rift Zone. Additional earthquake swarms may occur with little or no warning and result in either intrusion of additional magma or eruption of lava in these regions.

Updates: The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) will continue to provide daily updates for Kīlauea volcano. Should volcanic activity change significantly, a Volcanic Activity Notice will be issued. HVO is in close contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park website will have information about any temporary closures: https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/news/newsreleases.htm 

Recent Eruption Information: Kīlauea erupted briefly on June 3, 2024, southwest of the summit region within a closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. For more information about this eruption, see this webpage: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/june-2024-kilauea-southwest-rift-zone-eruption.

Hazards: Shallow magma movement can produce minor to severe ground fractures and subsidence features, which can affect the landscape, human activity, and infrastructure. These ground cracks can continue to widen and offset as magma migration continues, may have unstable overhanging edges, and should be avoided. 

Hazards remain around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of the rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since early 2008.

Near the recent Southwest Rift Zone eruption site, minor to severe ground fractures and subsidence features may continue to widen and offset, may have unstable overhanging edges, and should be avoided. Hazards associated with the recent lava flows include glassy (sharp) surfaces that can cause serious abrasions, and lacerations upon contact with unprotected or exposed skin; uneven and rough terrain that can lead to falls and other injuries; or, locally elevated levels of volcanic gases that can lead to breathing difficulty.

For discussion of Kīlauea hazards, please see: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) continues to closely monitor Kīlauea Volcano.

Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm.