Hawaiian Volcano Update: 1868 Earthquakes & Eruptions Anniversary

Another week on Kīlauea passes with slightly increased seismicity and ongoing inflation in the summit and Southwest Rift Connector, continuing the recent pattern of underground build-up that has followed the January 31 intrusion. Volcanic gas emissions, the main current threat to residents and visitors, remain relatively low around 60 tonnes of SO2 per day, though are still a concern for sensitive individuals nearby. Maunaloa is also still quiet with few earthquakes and sustained inflation as it recharges with magma, and remains at the lowest USGS warning level.

As usual we review the monitoring signals, imagery and reports available courtesy of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, annotating the presentation on screen as we go and discussing live viewer questions. We also share about our first nonprofit donation drive of the year.

This week we present a special compilation of the events of March 27 to April 11, 1868, which included two eruptions on Maunaloa, two eruptions on Kīlauea, the magnitude 7.9 Great Kaʻū Earthquake, two more magnitude 7 quakes (including the “lost earthquake”), landslides and cliff collapses, and two sequences of tsunamis all within 16 days. We include clips of the USGS presentation on “What happened in 1868?” from Volcano Awareness Month in January 2024 combined with our own research, interpretation and presentation of sources and of the sequence of events.