Activity Summary:  Kīlauea volcano is not erupting. Increased seismicity over the past three weeks, indicates heightened activity. Updates will be provided daily while at a heightened state of unrest.

Summit Observations:  Earthquake activity has been increasing over the past three weeks beneath the summit of Kīlauea.  Activity has alternated between typical shallow, 0.5-2.5 miles (1-4 km) earthquakes beneath the south caldera region and 3-6 miles (5-10 km) deep earthquakes directly beneath Kīlauea caldera. While daily rates of seismicity have decreased following the deep earthquake swarm observed Friday evening, they remain elevated. Occasional short-lived bursts (10-30 minutes) of low frequency earthquakes continue to indicate movement of magma in the subsurface.

Kīlaueaʻs summit remains inflated, but recent ground deformation remains low with tiltmeters near Sand Hill and Uēkahuna showing no significant changes in the past day.  Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) gas emission rates have remained low since October 2023. An SO₂ emission rate of approximately 96 tonnes per day was recorded on April 8.

Rift Zone Observations: Seismicity in Kīlauea's upper East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone remain low. No unusual activity has been noted along the middle and lower sections of Kīlauea's East Rift Zone. We continue to closely monitor both rift zones.

Measurements from continuous gas monitoring stations downwind of Puʻuʻōʻō in the middle East Rift Zone—the site of 1983–2018 eruptive activity—continue to be below detection limits for SO₂, indicating that SO₂ emissions Puʻuʻōʻō are negligible.

Analysis: Friday night's earthquake swarm had a strong low frequency component indicating movement of magma within the summit system.  This activity appears to have been deeper than normal activity that has preceded recent summit eruptions and HVO will continue to monitor the summit region closely.    At this time, it is not possible to say with certainty if this renewed activity will lead to an eruption in the near future –or simply remain confined below ground. However, an eruption in Kīlauea’s summit region, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and away from infrastructure, is one potential outcome.

UPDATES: The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) will return providing daily updates while at a heightened state of unrest.

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea for signs of increasing activity. Should volcanic activity change significantly, a Volcanic Activity Notice will be issued.  

Hazards are still present on Kīlauea and are described below. Residents and visitors should stay informed and follow County of Hawai‘i and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park guidelines.  

Hazard Analysis:  Levels of volcanic gases (sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide) can remain locally hazardous even when Kīlauea is not erupting. Local concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and/or hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) may persist in downwind areas, and residents may notice odors of these gases occasionally. Significant hazards also remain around Halemaʻumaʻu from crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. For discussion of Kīlauea hazards, please see: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards.