A portion of the Big Island near Kilauea Volcano is experiencing a flurry of earthquake activity because of a phenomenon known as an earthquake swarm.
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Jim Kauahikaua, the scientist-in-charge of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the earthquake swarm began at 2:15 Sunday morning

"The largest [quake] so far has been a magnitude 3.8,” said Kauahikaua, who compared the event to another earthquake swarm in September of 1999.

“Some of [the quakes] are being felt locally but they're not real large. Kauahikaua says scientists are continuing to monitor the situation closely.

“Mostly we're trying to make educated guesses about what's going to happen next,” he said.”

Mardie Lane, a park ranger at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park said a series of quakes startled the park’s chief ranger out of bed at 2:15 a.m.

“He's on a post and pier home and it was enough to shake his house and give him cause for concern," she said.

Kauahikaua says the earthquakes are centered about a mile southwest of Mauna Ulu Vent beneath the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano.

Mauna Ulu Vent is located between Pu`u`o`o Cone and Kilauea's summit.

Kauahikaua says the earthquake swarm is being caused by magma injecting itself into existing rock.

“The rocks are actually breaking, producing the earthquakes,” he said. “We feel that this swarm of earthquakes is in response to magma being injected towards the surface.”

Although the earthquake swarm could signal the beginning of a new eruption, no new lava has broken the surface around Kilauea.

Unlike the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the Big Island last October Kauahikaua says the earthquakes associated with the swarm are shallow, only about a mile or two deep.

"The October 15th event was related to the crust bowing under the weight of the islands, so it was a very deep event,” said Kauahikaua, “twenty-five miles deep.”

Lane says in response to the earthquake swarm Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed several roads and moved people away from possible danger.

"We made the decision to close Chain of Craters Road, Hilina Pali Road and most of Crater Rim Drive. We also evacuated eleven campers from Kulanaokuaiki Campground.”

Lane says the road closures caused a traffic jam as thousands of visitors were confined to a three mile area.

“This volcano definitely has a mind of its own, it is very powerful,” she said. “I think one of the most important things is don't take anything that you see for granted.”

Lane said if you're planning to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in the coming days it's a good idea to call ahead first.

The phone number to call with updated information is 808 985-6000.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Website