Series of earthquakes are now shifting the ground around the Kiluea volcano in Hawaii that makes for a telltale sign of an anticipated major eruption of one of the world's most active volcanoes.

Just a few weeks ago, a lava lake located inside a rupture near the side of Kilauea in Hawaii's Big Island has now risen and overspilled after falling rocks on the rim triggered an explosion. However, these past few days, this pool of molten rock is now sinking which plummeted down below the lava lake some 500 feet deep.

Like Us on Facebook

After these series of events, a chain of earthquakes rattling the volcano about 20 to 25 every hour was detected by scientists including their tilt meters that showed that the ground was already becoming deformed.

According to Steven Brantley from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory at the U.S. Geological Survey, obviously, this lava has to be going somewhere since it disappeared out of sight from what was an overspilling lava lake just a few weeks before. 

Scientists now believe that a new lava eruption can break through on the surface of the mountain. To date, there are two active eruptions occurring on Kilauea mountain. The first eruption is the lava lake called the Halemaumau crater that is currently seen in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the other eruption is the Puu Oo vent located at Kilauea's eastern rift zone that sent ribbons of lava crawling toward the town of Pahoa which stopped flowing in front of a shopping mall late last year.

This outbreak of intense earthquakes that reached its peak on Friday has been shaking up Kilauea's eastern rift zone which suggests that a new eruption can occur in the southwest of the Halemaumau crater or within the crater itself says Brentley. This shifting ground can also lead to nothing.

Brantley confirms that this current volcanic activity cannot reveal the next series of events at Kilauea which is a challenge for further interpretation of these events and what comes next for the active volcano.

If an eruption occurs at the southwest region of the volcano, this will not be as destructive as the Puu Oo vent at the eastern side since the area is off limits to the public and there are no structures established.

On Saturday morning, the earthquakes have slowed down and dwindled in intensity however scientists are still monitoring the volcano at a close range, says Brantley.

Tagskilauea volcano, new eruption hawaii volcano, earthquake hawaii, new eruption earthquakes hawaii volcano kilauea