The world’s largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, has erupted in Hawaii, spewing volcanic ash and debris at nearby locations, state officials said Monday.
The eruption began Sunday night in the caldera of the volcano on the Big Island, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said. This morning, the USGS reported that the lava flows were contained within the summit area and did not threaten nearby communities.
The US agency warned that residents at risk from Mauna Loa lava flows should review their preparations for the eruption. Scientists were already on high alert due to a recent increase in earthquakes at the top of the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.
Parts of the Big Island are under an ash warning issued by the National Weather Service in Honolulu, which predicted 0.6 cm of ash could accumulate in some areas.
Mauna Loa is one of the five volcanoes that make up the island of Hawaii (the island of Hawaii is the largest in the Hawaiian archipelago, thus giving its name to the US state of Hawaii).
At 4,169 meters above sea level, it is much higher than the Kilauea volcano, which erupted and destroyed 700 homes in a residential neighborhood in 2018.
Some of its sides are much steeper than Kilauea, so when it erupts, its lava can flow much faster.
During a 1950 eruption, lava from the mountain traveled 15 miles to the ocean in less than three hours.
Source: TSF
