(BIVN) – The volcano alert level and aviation color code for Kīlauea was raised from ADVISORY/YELLOW to WATCH/ORANGE on Wednesday morning, as a dramatic increase in earthquakes and ground deformation was measured.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued a Volcanic Activity Notice at 4:41 a.m., explaining that the increased earthquake activity and inflationary ground deformation at Kīlauea’s summit is an indication of magma movement in the subsurface.

As of Wednesday morning, the activity was confined entirely within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. As of 6:45 a.m., there have been no additional closures announced by the National Park Service due to the volcanic activity.

From the USGS HVO:

At this time, it is not possible to say with certainty if this activity will lead to an eruption; the activity may remain below ground. However, an eruption in Kīlauea’s summit region, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and away from infrastructure, is one potential outcome. Patterns of earthquake activity and ground deformation are concentrated south of the caldera region. Any new eruptive activity could occur in or near Halemaʻumaʻu crater or the region south of Kīlauea caldera, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

The most recent eruption of Kīlauea began on September 10, 2023, in the summit caldera and lasted one week.