Geologists on Hawaii's Big Island are expecting further seismic activity to intensify and cause more explosions at the Kilauea summit.
Hawaii Big Island Kilauea Summit explosion sends large plume of toxic gas into the air Photo: USGS
An explosion at the volcano's summit yesterday afternoon caused a thick ash plume to reach 10,000 feet above sea level.
USGS geologist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Janet Babb said that explosion released intense energy equivalent to a 5.6 magnitude earthquake.
"Following that explosion, the seismicity settled down and so the summit was relatively quiet overnight and we had a good sleep as a result of that. However, in keeping with the pattern or recent days and weeks, we expect seismicity to increase throughout today most likely leading to the next explosion."
Janet Babb said toxic gas emissions remained a high hazard for communities downwind from Kilauea's Summit.
Geologists are closely monitoring one fissure which is producing a large channelized lava flow that's filled in Kapoho Bay and destroyed hundreds of homes.
That lava flow's ocean entry is sending a large haze plume into the air along the coastline.
