Earthquake & Volcano Monitor — 2026-05-06
Kīlauea volcano's alert level was raised to WATCH as precursory lava activity for Episode 46 began in early May 4, with fountaining forecast between May 4–7. Meanwhile, Great Sitkin in Alaska continues slow lava eruption at ORANGE/WATCH status, and Mayon volcano in the Philippines produced a volcanic ash advisory. On the seismic front, a M5.8 earthquake struck near Tambolaka, Indonesia on May 5 with a green PAGER alert.
Earthquake & Volcano Monitor — 2026-05-06
Seismic Activity
M5.8 — Near Tambolaka, Indonesia (May 5, 2026) A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck 76 km south of Tambolaka, Indonesia at 06:44 UTC on May 5. The USGS PAGER system assigned a green alert level, signalling no significant casualties or damage expected.
M4.0 (Unconfirmed) — Southern Xinjiang, China (May 5, 2026) A moderate, unconfirmed M4.0 earthquake was recorded 127 km southeast of Xincheng, Xinjiang, China, at 12:58 am local time (GMT+8) on May 5.
Volcanic Watch
Kīlauea, Hawaiʻi — Alert Level Raised to WATCH (ORANGE) Precursory lava activity for Episode 46 of Kīlauea's ongoing summit eruption began around 1:38 a.m. HST on May 4. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory raised the alert level from ADVISORY to WATCH and the aviation color code from YELLOW to ORANGE at 1:50 PM HST on May 4. According to the HVO notice, lava fountaining for Episode 46 is forecast to begin between May 4–7. All eruptive vents and lava flows remain confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Great Sitkin, Alaska — ORANGE/WATCH As of May 4, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reports that a slow eruption of lava within the summit crater continues at Great Sitkin. Slightly elevated surface temperatures have been observed. The volcano remains at Alert Level WATCH with Aviation Color Code ORANGE.
Mayon, Philippines — Volcanic Ash Advisory (May 5, 2026) The VAAC Tokyo issued a Volcanic Ash Advisory for Mayon volcano on May 5 at 06:01 UTC, reporting an eruption at 05:44Z with volcanic cloud extent initially unknown. A satellite image of Mayon was captured on the same date.
Earth Science
Volcanoearth Daily Digest — Ongoing Activity (May 5–6, 2026) The latest volcano news digest, published approximately 8 hours ago, includes updates on active volcanoes in Italy, Colombia, and California, restored data streams from Aniakchak seismic stations, and continued coverage of Kīlauea's Episode 46.
Preparedness Tip: With Kīlauea's Episode 46 lava fountaining expected imminently, visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park should monitor HVO updates closely and follow all National Park Service guidance. Activity within the park can change rapidly.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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