Earthquakes increase at Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano as scientists note increased level of unrest
The summit region had gone from experiencing 10 earthquakes per day to 20 per day, officials said during their weekly update on the volcano.
FILE: Thousands of earthquakes strike Mount Kilauea volcano in Hawaii
Over the past several weeks, magma moving close to the surface has been cracking the ground and generating thousands of small earthquakes. FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray reports from Mount Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Mount Kilauea, the most active volcano in Hawaii, has seen the number of earthquakes at its summit double over the past week, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The summit region had gone from experiencing 10 earthquakes per day to 20 per day, officials said during their weekly update on the volcano. They noted that the activity has mostly occurred inside the mouth, or caldera, of the volcano and in the southern region of the caldera.
Most of the recorded earthquakes registered below a magnitude of 2.1.
Looped video of Kilauea's summit over the past 24 hours.
(USGS / FOX Weather)
Increased seismic activity was also detected in two of the rift zones, the USGS said.
The upper Southwest Rift Zone saw 25 earthquakes below a magnitude of 2 over the past two days, while the upper East Rift Zone saw between 25 and 60 earthquakes per day over the past two days, as well.
Officials said this rise in earthquake activity is due to a higher level of unrest at Kilauea’s summit region, compared to the activity of previous weeks.
FILE: Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
(Robert Ray / FOX Weather)
This means that magma is accumulating within the volcano, causing the ground above to swell.
The USGS is maintaining a yellow "advisory" level-- the second on their four-rung alert scale. But because of this renewed ground movement, the USGS noted hazardous conditions in the area, such as uneven or rough terrain, crater wall instability and rockfalls.
The most recent eruption at Kīlauea occurred near Nāpau Crater within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park from Sept. 15–20.