Scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory are tracking changes on the Mauna Loa, the world's largest volcano. This volcano is currently not erupting, but there have been signs of elevated unrest above known background activity since July 2019, when HVO...
May 12, 2021
Researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California identified what triggers large-scale volcanic eruptions and the conditions that lead to them. Using data from the 2018 Kilauea eruption in Hawaii-- its largest volcanic eruption in over 200...
May 11, 2021
A small swarm of shallow seismicity, that began at 11:00 UTC on March 18, 2021, is occurring beneath the upper Ka‘ōiki seismic zone, under Mauna Loa’s southeast flank and northwest of Kīlauea's summit, Hawaii. Mauna Loa Volcano is not erupting;...
March 19, 2021
Lava activity at Hawai'ian Kilauea volcano is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu with lava erupting from vents on the northwest side of the crater, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported at 19:11 UTC on January 5, 2021. Early January 5 (UTC), the lava lake was...
January 06, 2021
Seismic activity increased on Mauna Loa's northwest flank on December 4, 2020, with M4.1 earthquake and clusters of small, shallow earthquakes occurring closely in time and location. The volcano is not erupting but the rates of deformation and seismicity have...
December 11, 2020
USGS seismologists have detected deep long-period earthquakes beneath the dormant Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii at depths of about 20 to 25 km (12 to 15 miles) occurring with surprising regularity every 7 to 12 minutes. While low-frequency earthquakes are not unusual,...
July 26, 2020
New research reveals that Hawaii's Pūhāhonu volcano is the largest and hottest shield volcano on Earth, although it is barely visible as only a portion of its tip is exposed above the seafloor. Pūhāhonu, a Hawaiian word which means "turtle surfacing for...
May 15, 2020
The USGS Hawaii Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported increased seismic activity at the submarine Lōʻihi volcano in Hawaii from May 11 to 12, 2020. More than 100 earthquakes were detected, but USGS noted that there is no indication that a submarine eruption has...
May 13, 2020
Earthquake and ground deformation rates at Mauna Loa Volcano have exceeded long term background levels over the past several months, forcing the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to raise the Alert Level to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code to Yellow. All communities...
July 02, 2019
Activity at Hawaiian Mauna Loa volcano has risen to levels comparable to a higher period of activity between 2014 and 2017, HVO scientists said. The last eruption at the volcano took place in 1984. While there is no cause for alarm, those signs of higher activity...
April 15, 2019
While Kīlauea Volcano in Hawaii is not erupting at the moment and rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas release have not changed significantly over the past week, deformation signals are consistent with refilling of the middle East Rift Zone (ERZ) and hazards...
November 09, 2018
The lull in activity at Kīlauea Volcano continues. HVO lowered the Alert Level for ground-based hazards from WARNING to WATCH, on August 17, but the Aviation Color Code remains at Orange. The summit has been quiet since the last collapse event on August 2. This...
August 20, 2018
The current eruption at Kilauea is unprecedented in scope and size in the past 200 years, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory deputy scientist-in-charge Steve Brantley said Tuesday, July 16, 2018. "What we are observing now is unprecedented in the past 200 years...
July 18, 2018
The eruption of Kilauea volcano in the lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) continues with no significant change. Fountains from the fissure 8 spatter cone, now about 55 m (180 feet) continue to supply lava to an open channel that travels about 13 km (8 miles) to the sea....
July 02, 2018
The number of homes destroyed by lava has reached 600 since Kilauea started erupting on May 3, 2018, marking its most destructive eruption in modern times and the most destructive in the United States since the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. The number...
June 08, 2018
Nearly 200 homes were destroyed by lava over the past 48 hours, bringing the total number to nearly 300 since Kilauea begun erupting on May 3, 2018. "It is safe to say that hundreds of homes were lost," Janet Snyder, a spokeswoman for Hawaii County said...
June 06, 2018
A vigorous eruption of lava continues from Kilauea's lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) fissure system in the area of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens. Local videographers reported that lava entered the ocean at Kapoho Bay at about 08:30 UTC on June 4, 2018. A...
June 04, 2018
The intermittent eruption of lava in the Leilani Estates subdivision in the lower East Rift Zone of Kīlauea Volcano accompanied by toxic fumes and fountains up to 100 m (330 feet) high continues. A total of 11 fissures have emerged and 30 homes have been destroyed...
May 07, 2018
An eruption has begun in the Leilani Estates subdivision in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano shortly before 03:00 UTC on May 4, 2018. Lava was confirmed at the surface in the eastern end of the subdivision. Hawaii County Civil Defense is on the scene and...
May 04, 2018
Lower Puna officials in Hawaii are preparing for a possible eruption amid continuous earthquakes along the East Rift Zone of Kīlauea Volcano. The preparations include the identification of shelters, mobilization of police and other security personnel to ensure...
May 03, 2018
A collapse of the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater floor on Monday, May 1, 2018 on Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone has prompted increases in seismicity and deformation along a large section of the rift zone, with seismicity currently occurring as far east as Highway...
May 02, 2018
Since the end of February 2017, the Hawaii Volcano Observatory (HVO) seismic analysts have noted a slight uptick in the number of earthquakes near underwater Lō‘ihi volcano. The quakes appear to be clustered roughly 10 to 12 km (6 - 7 miles) below sea level...
June 28, 2017
A huge new outbreak just above the pali to the south of the Kilauea's 61g flow is sending many lava streams downslope, Tropical Visions videographer Mick Kalber and the Paradise Helicopters crew reported after an overflight on March 2, 2017. “Truly an...
March 08, 2017
An earthquake swarm occurred under Mauna Kea volcano (19.82 N, 155.47 W) in Hawaii on October 19, 2011. The largest earthquake was M4.5 at depth of 18 km, 9 km NE of the summit.Scientists say the earthquake was the largest in a cluster of about 20 earthquakes on the nor
October 20, 2011