This news story will be updated throughout the day as new information becomes available and new articles will be added to the website’s “News” section. Previous information about ongoing events can be found in Big Island Now’s “Volcano Blog” section.
Sunday, June 24, 2018, 4:30 p.m.: No Tsunami From 5.3-M Summit Quake
The Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory reports that a collapse/explosion event occurred at approximately 4:12 p.m.
The energy released from the event is equivalent to a magnitude 5.3 on the Richter scale and did NOT cause a tsunami.
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The event resulted in a small ash plume—mostly steam—that may affect the surrounding areas. Wind may carry the ash plume to the southwest toward Wood Valley, Pahala and Ocean View.
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The danger from this eruption is ash fallout. The major response is to protect yourself from fallout.
If you are at home, stay indoors with the windows closed. Turn on your radio and listen for updates from authorities. If you are in your car, keep the windows closed. Ash fallout may cause poor driving conditions, due to limited visibility and slippery driving conditions. Drive with extreme caution, or pull over and park.
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After the hazard has passed, check your home and especially your catchment system for any impact that may affect your water quality.
4:17 p.m.: No Tsunami From 5.3-M Summit Quake
A SEISMIC EVENT HAS OCCURRED NEAR THE SUMMIT OF KILAUEA VOLCANO.
THE EVENT IS LIKELY ASSOCIATED WITH A SUMMIT ERUPTION.
ITS PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS ARE:
ORIGIN TIME – 0412 PM HST 24 JUN 2018 COORDINATES – 19.4 NORTH 155.3 WEST LOCATION – IN THE SUMMIT REGION OF KILAUEA VOLCANO MAGNITUDE – 5.3
NO TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED.
Halemaʻumaʻu Overlook Vent from HVO Observation Tower [K2cam], June 24, 2018, 8:04 a.m. PC: USGS HVO
6 a.m.: Fissure 8 Channel Transports “Lava Boats”
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that Fissure 8 continues to erupt with a full channel flowing to the ocean at Kapoho.
There is no immediate threat, but persons near the active flow should heed warnings from Civil Defense.
Due to frequent earthquake activity, residents in the Volcano area are advised to monitor utility connections of gas, electricity and water after earthquakes.
The FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is located at the Kea‘au High School Gym.
Tropic Care 2018 will not be open today, but will resume providing free medical, dental and eye care on Monday.
VIDEO: Geologists captured this time-lapse video of the perched lava channel issuing from Fissure 8 on Kīlauea’s lower East Rift Zone. Rafts of accreted lava move down stream and look like boats moving down a river. These are termed “lava balls” or “lava boats” and form when portions of the fissure 8 cone or levees break away and are rafted down stream. As they move along in the channel, additional lava can cool to their surface to form accretionary lava balls. June 23, 2018. VC: USGS HVO
Saturday, June 23, 2018, 8:40 a.m.
Kīlauea Volcano Lower East Rift Zone
The eruption in the lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) continues with no significant change during the past 24 hours.
Fountains from Fissure 8 spatter cone continue to supply lava to the open channel with only small, short-lived overflows. During an overflight early this morning, geologists observed incandescence from Fissure 22, but no associated spattering or flow. Lava is entering the sea this morning on the southern side of the entry area primarily through the open channel, but also along a .6-mile-wide area. The entry areas are marked by billowing laze plumes.
Pele’s Hair and other lightweight volcanic glass fragments from the lava fountain at Fissure 8 continue to fall downwind of the fissure, dusting the ground within a few hundred meters (yards) of the vent. High winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances. Residents are urged to minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation similar to volcanic ash.
HVO field crews are on site tracking the fountains, lava flows, and spattering from Fissure 8 as conditions allow and are reporting information to Hawaii County Civil Defense. Observations are also collected on a daily basis from cracks in the area of Highway 130; no changes in temperature, crack width, or gas emissions have been noted for several days.
Volcanic gas emissions remain very high from Fissure 8 eruptions. Continuing trade wind conditions are expected to bring VOG to the southern and western parts of the Island of Hawaii. VOG information can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/
The ocean entry is a hazardous area. Venturing too close to an ocean entry on land or the ocean exposes you to flying debris from sudden explosive interaction between lava and water. Also, the lava delta is unstable because it is built on unconsolidated lava fragments and sand. This loose material can easily be eroded away by surf, causing the new land to become unsupported and slide into the sea. Additionally, the interaction of lava with the ocean creates “laze,” a corrosive seawater plume laden with hydrochloric acid and fine volcanic particles that can irritate the skin, eyes and lungs.
Magma continues to be supplied to the Lower East Rift Zone. Seismicity remains relatively low in the area with numerous small magnitude earthquakes and low amplitude background tremor. Higher amplitude tremor is occasionally being recorded on seismic stations close to the ocean entry.
Additional ground cracking and outbreaks of lava in the area of the active fissures are possible. Residents downslope of the region of fissures should heed all Hawai‘i County Civil Defense messages and warnings.
Kīlauea Volcano Summit
At 6:52 p.m. HST on June 22, after approximately 25 hours of elevated seismicity, a collapse explosion occurred at the summit producing an ash-poor steam plume that rose 500 feet above the ground surface (4,500 feet above sea level) before drifting to the SW. The energy released by the event was equivalent to a magnitude 5.3-magnitude earthquake. Seismicity dropped abruptly from a high of 40 earthquakes per hour (many in the magnitude-3 range) leading up to the collapse explosion to 10 or less earthquakes per hour afterwards. Overnight, seismicity gradually increased, reaching about 30 earthquakes per hour by daybreak. Inward slumping of the rim and walls of Halemaʻumaʻu continues in response to ongoing subsidence at the summit.
Sulfur dioxide emissions from the volcano’s summit have dropped to levels that are about half those measured prior to the onset of the current episode of eruptive activity. This gas and minor amounts of ash are being transported downwind, with small bursts of ash and gas accompanying intermittent explosive activity.
For forecasts of where ash would fall under forecast wind conditions, consult the Ash3D model output here.
Thursday, June 21, 2018: DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES AERIAL ASSESSMENT, EAST RIFT ZONE ERUPTION
:10 Kapoho Ocean Entry 5:28 Previous ocean entry/Malama Ki Forest Reserve 6:55 Pohoiki Boat Ramp & Isaac Hale Beach Park 8:17 MacKenzie State Recreation Area/Malama Ki Forest Reserve 9:41 Ahalanui to Kapoho ocean entry 11:45 Lava channel 15:17 Fissure 8 18:41 Lave Tree State Park 20:30 Puʻu ʻŌʻō
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