Lava spattering Wednesday morning from area between fissures 16 and 20/USGS

An ongoing series of earthquakes, some measuring a magnitude of 4.4, rumbled across Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on Wednesday, causing minor damage to park buildings while cracks crept their way across nearby roads and billowing clouds of ash and steam rose into the sky thousands of feet.

The Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory attributed the increased earthquake activity to "ongoing deflation and lava column drop within the Kīlauea Volcano. 

"As of the afternoon of May 16, the floor of Kīlauea caldera has dropped approximately 3 feet (90 cm). This movement is stressing faults around the caldera of Kīlauea, causing them to move and resulting in strong earthquakes of up to magnitude 4.4 thus far," the observatory reported. "Employees at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and nearby residents are reporting frequent ground shaking and damage to roads and buildings. Hawaii County Police reports cracks across Highway 11 between mile markers 28 and 29. Although these are passable, motorists are urged to use caution."

Inside the national park, staff reported "sizable cracks and floor shifting in the park’s Visitor Emergency Operations Center," and a temporary loss of power and several ruptured water lines.

Most of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has been closed since Friday, May 11, due to ongoing seismic activity, summit deflation, and a possible steam explosion at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano.

On Tuesday, the park reported, "consistent large rock falls into Halema‘uma‘u Crater created the tallest and largest series of ash plumes yet observed since the change in volcanic activity began. (Wednesday) morning, USGS scientists found rocks two feet across in the parking lot a few hundred yards from Halema‘uma‘u. According to USGS, yesterday’s series of summit events reflect the most energetic explosions yet observed and could reflect the onset of steam-driven explosive activity."

Sulfur dioxide plumes rising Wednesday morning from the fissures along the East Rift Zone and accumulating in the cloud deck/USGS

The observatory's geologists warned that as deflation of the lava lake inside the volcano continues, "strong earthquakes in the area around Kīlauea Volcano's summit are expected to continue and may become more frequent. Areas further from these earthquakes may feel some ground motion as well, but much less severe. The shallow depths of these earthquakes make them more damaging in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter, and individuals need to take precautions to minimize damage from the shaking, including the removal of unstable items from walls and shelves. Steep slopes should be avoided as they may become destabilized during strong earthquakes."

Cracks in Highway 11 caused by earthquakes/NPS

Kīlauea Volcano's recent unrest, which prompted President Trump to declare a state of emergency for the Big Island and led to the national park's nearly complete closure, could be the new normal. And it could get more explosive before the recent episode settles down, according to volcanologists.