Fissures remain quiet on Kilauea rift zone

Fissure 8 is seen in this aerial photo taken Tuesday above Leilani Estates. Courtesy of USGS.
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Geologists have seen no sign of fissures on Kilauea’s lower East Rift Zone reactivating after the eruption started to quiet down late last week.

Multiple fissures, meanwhile, continued to steam Thursday morning, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

At fissure 8, which had been the most active site, lava output remained low. A crusted lava pond was seen within the fissure at a significantly lower level than when viewed Tuesday.

The significance of the change remains unclear. HVO says it’s common for eruptions to wax and wane.

An intermittent and wispy steam plume was seen at Pu‘u ‘O‘o, but emissions there remained at typical levels for the past three months, when the eruption moved from that site into Leilani Estates.