Kīlauea Volcano Update: June 29, 2017

This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone lava flow field. The area of the active flow field as of May 31 is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the active flow as of June 21 is shown in red. Older Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō lava flows (1983–2016) are shown in gray. The yellow line is the trace of the active lava tube (dashed where uncertain). USGS/HVO map.

This past week, Kīlauea Volcano’s summit lava lake fluctuated in concert with summit inflation and deflation, with levels ranging 92 to 171 feet below the vent rim.

On the East Rift Zone, the 61g flow remained active, with lava entering the ocean near Kamokuna.

Near Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, flows continued on the upper portion of the flow field.

The 61g flows do not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.

Mauna Loa is not erupting.

Global Positioning System  and Interferometric Satellite Radar (InSAR) measurements continue to show deformation related to inflation of a magma reservoir beneath the summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone.

No significant changes in volcanic gas emissions were measured.

During the past week, only a few small-magnitude earthquakes occurred beneath the volcano, primarily in the south caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone at depths less than 3 miles.

A few earthquakes also occurred on the west flank of the volcano at depths of less than 8 miles.

Two earthquakes were reported felt on the Island of Hawaiʻi during the past week:

• On June 28, 2017, at 6:58 p.m. HST, an offshore magnitude-2.5 earthquake occurred near the submarine volcano Lō‘ihi, 26 miles southeast of Pāhala, at a depth of 7.8 miles.
• On June 26, at 11:27 p.m. HST, a magnitude-2.4 earthquake occurred 2.5 miles southeast of Leilani Estates at .6 miles in depth.

The Volcano Activity Update is a weekly article written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.

Call for summary updates at (808) 967-8862 (Kīlauea) or (808) 967-8866 (Mauna Loa); email questions to [email protected].