HONOLULU (KHON2) — Increased earthquake activity and ground deformation at Kilauea has prompted the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to raise the volcano’s alert levels.
While the Kilauea volcano is not erupting, it is under a Watch Advisory.
“Because of the increase in earthquakes and ground deformation, there is now an increased possibility of an eruption starting,” said Deputy Scientist-in-Charge David A. Phillips.
According to HVO, Pele began to stir things up on the Big Island early Wednesday morning, Jan. 31 and inflationary ground deformation began to occur.
This type of deformation is when magma builds up before an eruption causing the ground surface to typically swell.
“We’ve been in this period of unrest now for a couple of months since last October,” said Philips. “And this morning at 4:41 a.m. because of the escalating activity being observed over the last couple of hours we raised the alert level to Watch with the aviation color Orange.”
All activity is confined to the summits in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.