(BIVN) – Scientists issued a status report on Kamaʻehuakanaloa, the undersea volcano offshore to the southeast of Hawaiʻi island, as the swarm of earthquakes that began Friday evening continued Saturday.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says Kamaʻehuakanaloa, formerly known as Lōʻihi Seamount, has entered a period of heightened seismic unrest. “Although seismicity declined slightly around midnight, rates of earthquakes remain above background levels today,” the USGS HVO wrote in a statement issued at 1:23 p.m. HST. 

Scientists said that eruptive activity at this volcano would have no impact on Big Island residents.

From the USGS HVO status report:

There have been over 70 earthquakes so far in this swarm, with 32 events greater than magnitude 2 and 2 events greater than magnitude 4. The largest earthquake has been a magnitude-4.3 event that occurred today at 12:05 p.m. HST, at a depth of 5.8 km (3.6 mi) below sea level and 4.8 km (3.0 mi) below the volcano’s summit. The USGS has so far received only one felt report from the Island of Hawaiʻi for this event.

Elevated seismicity continues at Kamaʻehuakanaloa, but it is not expected to impact other volcanoes or any infrastructure on the Island of Hawaiʻi. The source of the earthquakes is difficult to determine at this time, but it may be related to the movement of magma beneath Kamaʻehuakanaloa. Prior swarms related to probable eruptions at the volcano have consisted of thousands of earthquakes over days to weeks.

USGS scientists say they will continue to monitor Kamaʻehuakanaloa, and will issue further updates if there are any significant changes in activity.