The largest active volcano in the world, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, began to erupt on Sunday night, and by Monday morning, lava was flowing from its summit, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Half of Hawaii’s Big Island is covered by Mauna Loa, which is situated inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The volcano is over 2,000 square miles in size and rises 13,679 feet (4,169 meters) above sea level (5,179 sq km), the summit is 55,700 feet above the base of the volcano. The Big Island is home to Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in the world when measured from its underwater base, which is located about 20,000 feet below the ocean’s surface.
The Mauna Loa erupted at Moku’weoweo, the volcano’s summit caldera, at 23:30 local time on Sunday (09:30 GMT Monday). After an eruption, hollows called calderas develop beneath the summit.
Lava flows are currently contained within the summit area and do not pose a threat to communities on the downslope all indications presently show that the eruption will likely remain in the Northeast Rift Zone. However, winds could carry fine ash and volcanic gas, according to a news release from the USGS. The National Weather Service in Honolulu warned that some areas of the island could experience ashfall accumulation of less than one-quarter of an inch.
The location and advance of lava flows can change quickly during the early stages of a Mauna Loa eruption, according to past experiences. Lava flows would probably be contained if the eruption stayed in Moku’weoweo, on the other hand, the lava flows may move rapidly downslope if the eruptive vents migrate outside its walls, USGS warned.
Since 1843, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times. The most populous town on the island, Hilo, was 4.5 miles away from lava flows caused by the previous eruption in 1984. According to experts, the lava flow from the present eruption may once again pose a threat to Hilo.
Ten to 20 earthquakes per day were being experienced since mid-September, which increased to 40 to 50 per day at the summit of the volcano which led to warnings by the officials of an imminent eruption triggered by these earthquakes and that residents of the Big Island should be prepared to immediately evacuate.
Due to the volcanic activity at Mauna Loa, passengers with flights to Hilo International Airport (ITO) or the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) have been advised by the state transportation department to check with their airline before arriving at the airport. Due to the eruption, Southwest Airlines said it would not be operating from Hilo International on Monday and five flights to and from Honolulu have already been canceled.