Brief earthquake swarm rattles Kīlauea summit

A small, brief swarm of earthquakes rumbled south of Kīlauea’s summit caldera on Monday afternoon. While swarms have persisted since Aug. 22, the volcano is not erupting at this time.

Earthquakes have been reported at depths of 1–2 miles below the surface, lacking upward migration. Summit tiltmeters have tracked slow inflation since Sept. 2, except for a brief period of minor deflation early this morning. According to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the unrest is currently confined within Kīlauea’s summit region. If it continues, it could escalate to an eruption in the coming days, weeks or months.

No active lava has been observed since June 19. Click here for a live feed of Kīlauea.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports seismic and tilt data indicate Kīlauea’s summit is becoming increasingly pressurized. Similar episodes of earthquake and ground deformation activity occurred in November 2020 and August 2021, prior to eruptions in December 2020 and September 2021. The activity could also decrease due to intrusion of magma underground or other changes, resulting in no eruption.

Levels of activity are expected to rise and fall during this period of unrest. No unusual activity has been noted along the volcano’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

For information on Kīlauea hazards, see: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards.

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