This week, Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is almost overflowing that its lava lake can be seen from an overlook, indicating the start of a strong inflationary phase of the volcano.
According to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the lava lake was about 52 feet below inside the Halema'uma'u crater, as of last Wednesday morning.
This lava lake continues to rise and fall depending on the volcano's inflation and deflation phases, that are influenced by its magma pressure inside its volcanic system.
However this latest inflation began last Monday, and it is still unclear to scientists how long this trend will last, according to geologist Janet Babb of the HVO. According to another HVO geologist, Matt Patrick, this inflation shows signs of waning however, this could rise once more, adding that this was the usual volcanic activity.
Patrick explains that in many volcanic ways, it has been exhibiting normal behavior, where the lava lake is on view to the public right now.
The lava lake could overflow however, another eruption of Kilauea involves the Pu'u 'O'o vent along its East Rift Zone, sending lava into the ocean located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This particular ocean entry produced two main lava deltas as new land begins to form.
One of the deltas collapsed and sent lava debris estimated at 30 to 40 meters in every direction last September 5, as Babb advises the public to remain at a safe distance. To date, the lava breakout from the Pu'u 'O'o vent last week already stopped flowing.
Prior to these latest lava events, lava spattered inside the lava lake of the Halema'uma'u crater late last month, as an earthquake shook the summit inside the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
This earthquake was measured within a 3.7 magnitude originating from 3.2 miles southeast of the summit. An aftershock of 3.0 magnitude followed this earthquake.