Dozens of earthquakes detected as Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, world’s largest active volcano, remains in ‘state of heightened unrest’ Thousands of earthquakes detected as Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, world’s largest active volcano, remains in’state of heightened unrest’
A woman looks on at the Kilauea Visitor Center in Pahoa, Hawaii, Wednesday, June 16, 2018, as the lava pond in this area continues to grow. The lava pond in this area remains a hazard for Hawaii’s residents, who can continue to be evacuated in the coming weeks. less A woman looks on at the Kilauea Visitor Center in Pahoa, Hawaii, Wednesday, June 16, 2018, as the lava pond in this area continues to grow. The lava pond in this area remains a hazard for Hawaii’s residents, who… more Photo: Richard Drew / Associated Press Photo: Richard Drew / Associated Press Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Dozens of earthquakes detected as Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, world’s largest active volcano, remains in’state of heightened unrest’ 1 / 33 Back to Gallery
The first major eruption threat from Hawaii’s most threatening volcano has yet to materialize. But a major earthquake swarm has now erupted nearby, with dozens of more earthquakes detectable on the ground.
This week’s quakes, detected by the U.S. Geological Survey, followed a magnitude-8.4 earthquake on Tuesday night and a 2.9-magnitude event on Wednesday morning. At the time of the quakes on Sunday, June 15, a magnitude-8.4 earthquake had been detected about a mile east of Kilauea.
The quakes were triggered by the eruption of plumes of steam, gas and ash that have been shooting out of fissures in the volcano’s crust in an area known as the East Rift Zone, according to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park’s web site.
Here’s a timeline of the latest events.
Sunday, June 15
Just after midnight, a magnitude-8.4 earthquake struck the Kilauea volcano about a mile east of the park entrance. Shortly before that earthquake, a 9.2-magnitude earthquake was detected, the U.S. Geological Survey reported,
