Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park reports that due to the possibility of a new eruption and unstable geologic activity, park management closed 15,688 acres near Kīlauea Volcano’s Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent to the ocean today, including the gravel emergency access road from the eastern gate near Kalapana, to the western gate at the end of Chain of Craters Road, and all land on the makai (ocean) side of the emergency road.

“The recent eruption changes and increased seismicity around the East Rift Zone and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent may threaten land and the community outside the park,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “The partial closure in the park is necessary to prevent unsafe travel onto lands under the jurisdiction of Hawai‘i County and to keep people safe. Most of the park, which is 333,308 acres in size, remains open.”

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On Monday afternoon, April 30, the crater within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō collapsed, and a flurry of low magnitude earthquakes continues to shake the eastern side of the island, particularly communities in lower Puna. A small fissure opened to the west of the vent on Tuesday, May 1, but scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory report that an intrusion of magma is heading eastward from the vent towards Highway 130.

Puna residents are encouraged to sign up for Hawai‘i County Civil Defense messages at http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts/, and to subscribe to volcanic updates via USGS: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/.

The current eruption at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is off limits to hikers. However, the summit of Kīlauea continues to erupt within Halema‘uma‘u Crater within the park, and is best viewed from the Jaggar Museum overlook. The lava lake within the crater has risen dramatically since April 21, and has occasionally spilled onto the crater floor. The park is open 24 hours a day.</s>Hawaii volcano eruption: Where were the worst earthquakes? Earthquakes MAPPED

A series of terrifying earthquakes rocked the southern Hawaii volcano late on Thursday, May 3, causing massive amounts of damage to the structure of the volcano.

More than 250 minor earthquakes struck near the volcano in a matter of hours.

The volcano has been under intense seismic pressure for nearly four decades, sewing forth rivers of molten lava around the basin of the mountain.

Kilauea is the most active of all five Hawaiin volcanoes, regularly spitting giant columns of ash into the local area.

Kilauea’s eruption came just hours after officials at the HVO reported dropping levels of volcanic activities.</s>The holiday paradise is on alert as earthquakes rock the mighty Kilauea volcano, prompting calls for residents and tourists to stay away.

HAWAII’S Big Island is on alert for an eruption of the mighty Kilauea volcano after dozens of earthquakes rocked the site.

About 50 earthquakes were recorded on Wednesday morning alone the US Geological Survey’s (USGS) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said.

Kilauea volcano sits to the southwest of the Hawaiian island in an national park that’s a popular spot for hikers and tourists.

But tourists, private tour companies and residents are now being urged to stay away as scientists warn the spike in activity at the volcano could trigger an eruption.

Lava has moved down the east slope of the volcano and into Puna District of the Big Island, Associated Press reported.

“Residents should heed all advice offered by Civil Defence and take the actions recommended by Civil Defence to prepare for a possible eruption,” USGS geologist Janet Babb said.

“An eruption is possible because magma is clearly moving through the East Rift Zone and it could come to the surface.

“The possibility is definitely there, I can’t give you a probability.”

But she said if an eruption happened, the start of it would be “pretty vigorous”.

The magma has already started to flow below Highway 130, a major road on Hawaii island that leads to a popular access point to the volcano.

The Big Island mayor’s office released a statement saying various levels of government were preparing for a possible eruption.

“The preparations include the identification of shelters, mobilisation of police and other security personnel to ensure residents’ safety, and road crews to ensure access to evacuation routes,” the mayor’s statement said.

“Should an eruption occur, residents along the East Rift Zone may have little warning,” Civil Defence Administrator Talmadge Magno said.

“Residents in that area should be prepared to evacuate.”

Most eruptions at Kilauea have not been explosive, however in 1924 an eruption sent ash and nine-tonne rocks into the sky. One person was killed in that eruption.

Another eruption in 1983 saw lava spewing more than 450 metres into the air.

In 2008, an eruption damaged a viewing site for visitors.

Last week, the lava lake at the volcano’s summit rose and spilt over the crater edge, marking the largest lava inflation since Kilauea erupted in 2008, according to Associated Press.</s>Honolulu, May 4 (IANS) The Kilauea volcano, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has erupted leading to the evacuation of around 1,700 people in the area, media reported.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory confirmed the eruption on Thursday that affected Leilani. Authorities asked residents to evacuate to a nearby community centre.

The Hawaii National Guard was helping with the evacuations and security.

The evacuation comes after hundreds of shocks off the Big Island. The US Geological Survey said the highest magnitude was five on the Richter scale.

Kilauea is located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has since closed off nearly 15,700 acres given the possibility of new eruptions due to unstable geologic activity.</s>(CNN) Hundreds of small earthquakes in Hawaii are shaking the eastern side of Big Island, prompting concerns that Kilauea Volcano could erupt.

Residents in the area should prepare and review emergency plans in case of evacuation, warned the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency on Wednesday

Officials are keeping watch on Kilauea Volcano, which is one of the world's most active volcanos.

It's located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has since closed off nearly 15,700 acres due to "the possibility of a new eruption and unstable geologic activity." But most of the park remains open, according to its statement.

Since Monday, hundreds of earthquakes -- most of them around 2.0 magnitude -- have been recorded in the area. The series of earthquakes came after a collapse of a crater floor of Puʻu ʻŌʻō, which is a volcanic cone in the eastern rift zone of the Kīlauea Volcano.

Since that collapse on Monday, about 250 earthquakes were reported in the area into Tuesday evening, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Status Report.

The tremors have been going on for days now, jarring residents, who've been reporting nearly constant ground vibrations in some areas.

She said the flurry of earthquakes seemed to happen every minute.

"It'd be like the house would shake. It'd be like somebody that weighs 300 pounds came in my living room, and jumped up and down," she said.

Residents in the area have also reported cracks emerging on roads.

The US Geological Survey said no steam or heat were seen escaping from the cracks, and they were small -- about several inches across. These cracks are appearing from "deformation of the ground surface due to the underlying intrusion of magma" -- which is molten rock that is underground, according to the agency.

"An outbreak of lava from the lower East Rift Zone remains a possible outcome of the continued unrest," according to USGS in a Wednesday night update. "At this time it is not possible to say with certainty if or where such an outbreak may occur, but the area downrift (east) of Pu'u 'Ō'ō remains the most likely location."

It's not possible to predict where an eruption could occur, but the areas that could be affected include the communities of Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates or Kapoho, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency stated.

It urged residents to prepare emergency plans and to stay informed for updates.
After over 600 earthquakes, including a magnitude 5.0 at Kīlauea, parts of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park have struck, causing the nearby Puʻu ʻŌʻō, to close due to fears of an eruption. The volcano erupted and evacuations were issued.