Kīlauea earthquakes abating – volcano saw more than 350 quakes per day last week

The frequency of earthquakes beneath Kīlauea on the Big Island continues to lessen, although seismicity continues beneath the volcano’s upper East Rift Zone.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported Kīlauea is not erupting on Monday morning, but noted inflation continues to occur in the caldera south of Halemaʻumaʻu – activity similar to conditions at Kīlauea prior to last week’s period of heightened unrest.

Earthquake counts at Kīlauea have decreased to approximately 70 earthquakes in the past 24 hours, compared to over 350 earthquakes per day at the peak of unrest. Earthquake locations remain focused primarily from the southeast side of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) beneath Keanakākoʻi crater extending to the intersection with Hilina Pali Road.

Late last week, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory shared that over 1,600 earthquakes had taken place at Kīlauea between April 27 and May 3.

On Sunday, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park reopened Chain of Craters Road and other previously-closed sites as Kīlauea’s unrest abated.

Seismicity has returned to the caldera south of Halemaʻumaʻu with approximately 10 earthquakes in that region in the past 24 hours. Earthquake depths have averaged 1.2-3.1 miles beneath the surface, and magnitudes have not exceeded M2.5 in the past 24 hours, with the majority below M2.0.

Ground deformation continues beneath Halemaʻumaʻu and the south side of Kalaupele and Keanakākoʻi crater following a brief cessation related to a local deflation-inflation event beneath Halemaʻumaʻu.

The Uēkahuna tiltmeter began recording inflation at approximately 4:30 a.m. Sunday, which continued into Monday morning. The Sandhill tiltmeter at Kīlauea is once again recording accelerated uplift at rates similar to those prior to and during last week’s seismic unrest.