Kilauea underground activity raises alert level

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has raised Kilauea’s alert level from “advisory” to “watch” following underground activity today.

Kilauea is not erupting and the activity may remain underground, the USGS said.

“However, an eruption in Kilauea’s summit region, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and away from infrastructure, is one potential outcome,” the USGS said in a news release. “Based on patterns of earthquake activity and ground deformation, it is likely that any new eruptive activity will occur in or near Halemaʻumaʻu crater, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.”

It said the activity was confined within the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.