(BIVN) – Hawai‘i County Civil Defense administrator Talmadge Magno provided an update Tuesday afternoon from the Hilo headquarters concerning the increase in shallow earthquake activity in the Puna district.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued a new Volcanic Activity Notice Tuesday morning, saying “the migration of seismicity and deformation downrift (east) of Puʻu ʻŌʻō cone” following Monday’s collapse of Puʻu ʻŌʻō “indicates that a large area along the East Rift Zone is potentially at risk for a new outbreak.”

“The location of any future outbreak will determine what areas are in the path of new lava flows,” scientists reported.

County officials have already shut down the lava viewing area in Kalapana due to its proximity to the increased hazardous activity.

Emergency officials and scientists say the situation is rapidly evolving and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory along with Hawai‘i County Civil Defense will continue to closely monitor Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone and summit.