(BIVN) – Kilauea is not erupting, and the USGS Volcano Alert Level remains at ADVISORY.

The June 3rd eruption on the upper Southwest Rift Zone that lasted less than a day is not expected to restart, although scientists continue to say that “additional pulses of seismicity and deformation could result in new eruptive episodes within the area or elsewhere” on the SWRZ.

Ten years ago, it was the activity on Kīlauea’s upper East Rift Zone that had scientists’ attention.

From this week’s Volcano Watch article written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

Over the past few years, eruptions of Kīlauea volcano on the Island of Hawai‘i have happened in remote regions and lava flows have not directly threatened communities. However, the approaching anniversary of a lava flow crisis a decade ago reminds us that eruptions on Kīlauea have the potential to cause damage and island-wide disruption.

The 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea is still fresh in many of our minds, but even before then, Kīlauea lava flows entering communities was not uncommon. During the 35-year-long eruption of Puʻuʻōʻō, on the East Rift Zone of Kīlauea, lava flows caused destruction in Royal Gardens, Kalapana, and in Pāhoa. Before Puʻuʻōʻō, there were also eruptions in Kapoho Village in 1960 and on Kīlauea’s lower East Rift Zone in 1955.

Ten years ago, inflation at Puʻuʻōʻō in May and June lead to a new eruptive episode on the northeast flank of the cone. It was informally named episode 61e, but more commonly referred to as the June 27th flow in reference to the start date of that episode in 2014.

Another view of the front of the June 27 flow, looking northeast. The flow front has narrowed as it has been confined against the slopes of the 2007 perched lava channel, and this is associated with a higher advance rate of the flow front over the past four days. CREDIT: USGS HVO

In the first few days, four fissures produced channelized flows before the eruption focused at the lowest elevation vent, where a perched pond began to form. The pond elevation continued to rise until it was about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than the vent. On July 10, pressure from the perched pond triggered the eruptive vent to shift to the next highest fissure and abandon the perched pond.

The change in eruptive vent produced a fast-moving channelized flow that traveled up to several hundred meters (yards) per day. The flow continued to the northeast until it extended across the eastern edge of the Puʻuʻōʻō flow field by the beginning of August.

Lava from June 27th breakout flowing into deep ground crack along Kīlauea East Rift Zone, Pu‘u‘ō‘ō, Hawai‘i. (USGS photo)

On August 18, the lava entered into a deep ground crack that directed the flow further to the northeast. After about a week the lava overflowed from the crack, before repeating this pattern at three additional and parallel ground cracks. The flow traveled roughly 5 km (3 mi) underground in these cracks to within about 1.2 km (0.7 mi) of Kaʻohe Homesteads subdivision where the lava exited the final crack in early September.

The flow front advanced slow and steadily during the first few weeks of September, passing Kaʻohe Homesteads to the northwest. Then from late-September to early-October, the lava flow’s rate of advance began to fluctuate as it stalled and advanced. Towards the end of October, a breakout surged through a narrow drainage and crossed Cemetery Road in Pāhoa. The flow continued through the Pāhoa Japanese Cemetery, through private property, and destroyed one structure, stalling only 155 m (510 ft) from Pāhoa Village Road.

Map courtesy USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

A large breakout on November 14 occurred roughly 6.5 km (4 mi) upslope of the flow front, and rapidly advanced along the northwest margin of the previous flow, ultimately headed towards Pāhoa Marketplace and Highway 130. The flow front again stalled on December 30 after advancing to within 530 m (0.3 mi) of the marketplace. That was the furthest the lava flow advanced, but numerous breakouts just upslope continued to threaten Pāhoa until early 2015.

Episode 61e, or the June 27th flow, then retreated upslope and stayed within about 8 km (5 mi) of Puʻuʻōʻō. This episode continued until early June 2016, when inflation at Puʻuʻōʻō culminated in two new eruptive vents on the northeast (episode 61f) and southeast (episode 61g) flanks of the cone on May 24.

The episode 61f flow was short-lived, lasting less than two weeks. However, the 61g flow remained active until the Puʻuʻōʻō crater floor collapsed on April 30, 2018, followed by the intrusion of magma into the lower East Rift Zone and subsequent eruption.

Since then, eruptions from Kīlauea have fortunately been confined within Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) or other remote areas of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Currently, there are no signs of magma moving into the East Rift Zone but that will inevitably happen again someday. The Pāhoa lava flow crisis and other destructive East Rift Zone eruptions are reminders that communities on or near the rift zone are vulnerable. Residents and visitors should stay informed and remember that it’s never too early consider how an eruption could impact you and your family.