HVO reported that earthquake activity and changes in the patterns of ground deformation beneath Kilauea’s summit began to be detected during the evening of 6 June. The data indicated magma movement towards the surface, prompting HVO to raise the Volcano Alert Level to Watch (the second highest level on a four-level scale) and the Aviation Color Code to Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).

At about 0444 on 7 June incandescence in Halema’uma’u Crater was visible in webcam images indicting that a new eruption had begun. The Volcano Alert Level was raised to Warning and the Aviation Color Code was raised to Red. Lava flowed from fissures that had opened on the crater floor.

Geological Summary. Kilauea overlaps the E flank of the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano in the island of Hawaii. Eruptions are prominent in Polynesian legends; written documentation since 1820 records frequent summit and flank lava flow eruptions interspersed with periods of long-term lava lake activity at Halemaumau crater in the summit caldera until 1924. The 3 x 5 km caldera was formed in several stages about 1,500 years ago and during the 18th century; eruptions have also originated from the lengthy East and Southwest rift zones, which extend to the ocean in both directions. About 90% of the surface of the basaltic shield volcano is formed of lava flows less than about 1,100 years old; 70% of the surface is younger than 600 years. The long-term eruption from the East rift zone between 1983 and 2018 produced lava flows covering more than 100 km2, destroyed hundreds of houses, and added new coastline.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)