While Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano isn’t erupting, there have been hundreds of earthquakes recorded in its summit region over the past few days.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 320 earthquakes occurred over a 24-hour period ending Friday morning. During the 4-hour period ending Saturday morning, there were around 170 earthquakes.
As of Saturday, the area south of the volcano’s summit was showing signs of unrest. No unusual activity has been observed in its East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
“Ground deformation in the area just south of the summit caldera leveled off around 2 a.m. with no appreciable changes in the tilt since then,” the USGS said Saturday. “Inflation at the summit of Kīlauea remains close to its highest level in over five years and has nearly returned to the level seen just before the last eruption on September 10.”
Seismicity beneath Kīlauea’s summit region began Wednesday. Most of the recent earthquakes were reported around 1.5 to 2 miles below the surface.
“The trend of the seismic activity parallels, but is slightly south of the December 1974 eruption vents,” said the USGS.
Even though the volcano isn’t erupting, levels of volcanic gas can be hazardous. Concentrations of sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide may persist downwind, and nearby residents may notice odors from the gasses.
“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,” said the USGS.
As hundreds of earthquakes tremble through Kīlauea on the island of Hawai’i, a 6.3-magnitude quake hit Afghanistan, killing 120 people and injuring around 1,000, according to the BBC. Earlier this year, another large earthquake killed more than 1,000 people in Morocco and, in the U.S., a 5.1-magnitiude quake hit California this summer as Hurricane Hilary approached the West Coast.
Hawaii also felt devastation from natural disasters this year when dry conditions resulted in wildfires that tore through the island of Maui.