Hawaii’s Mauna Loa begins eruption, raining volcanic ash nearby

The world’s largest active volcano spewed ash and lava on Monday, prompting officials to warn residents of the Big Island of Hawaii to prepare for a possible major eruption.

The U.S. Geological Survey has warned the island’s 200,000 residents that Mauna Loa’s eruption is “very dynamic and can rapidly change the position and progression of lava flows.”

The eruption began late Sunday night at a volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, following a series of closely spaced, sizeable earthquakes, said Ken Hong, a scientist at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory. The lava flow was contained within the summit area and did not pose a threat to nearby communities.

Development has accelerated on the Big Island in recent decades, doubling its population from 92,000 in 1980 to 200,000 today. And when Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago, many of the new inhabitants were non-existent.

Most of the islanders live in Kailua-Kona, to the west of the volcano, with about 23,000 people, and Hilo, to the east, about 45,000 people. Of greatest concern to officials are several plots about 30 miles south of the volcano, home to about 5,000 people.

A time-lapse video of the eruption from the night showed lava lighting up an area and moving through it like ocean waves.

The eruption moved northeast from the summit into the rift valley, according to a US Geological Survey notification. A rift valley is a place where mountains have split and rocks have cracked and become relatively weak, making it easier for magma to emerge.

Monday’s eruption had fed some lava flows, but it did not threaten communities below the slopes. It shows that there is

Eruptions from the northeastern rift valley could send lava toward the county seat of Hilo and other towns in eastern Hawaii. It could take weeks or months for lava to reach populated areas on this side of the mountain.

“We don’t try to guess volcanoes,” Hong said. “We need to really see what it’s going to do and let people know what’s going on as quickly as possible.”

The County of Hawaii Department of Civil Defense announced it has opened shelters in Kailua-Kona and Pahala due to reports of people self-evacuating along the coast.

According to Hong, the average Mauna Loa eruption is usually short-lived, lasting several weeks.

“Usually, Mauna Loa eruptions start with the heaviest volume first,” Hong said. “After a few days, you’ll feel a little better.”

The USGS has warned residents at risk of the Mauna Loa lava flow to review their preparations for an eruption. Scientists were alarmed by a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.

Big Island Mayor Mitch Ross said: “This is not the time to be alarmed at this time.

Parts of the Big Island of Hawaii are subject to an ash fall advisory issued by the National Weather Service in Honolulu, which states that up to 0.6 centimeters of ash can accumulate in some areas.

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that make up the island of Hawaii, the southernmost of the Hawaiian Islands.

At 13,679 feet (4,169 meters) above sea level, Mauna Loa is Kilauea’s much larger neighbor, which erupted in a residential neighborhood in 2018, destroying 700 homes. Some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s, so lava flows can flow heavily. When it erupts, it will go faster.

In the 1950 eruption, the mountain’s lava traveled 15 miles (24 kilometers) into the sea in less than three hours.

Tourism is the driving force behind Hawaii’s economy, but Ross predicted little trouble for vacationers during the volcanic eruption.

“It’s spectacular where it is, but the chances of it really disrupting the tourism industry are very slim,” he said.

For some, the eruption may reduce travel time. Even with more vog and volcanic smog due to higher sulfur dioxide emissions.

“But it’s good that we no longer have to drive from Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to see the eruption,” Ross said. “You can see Mauna Loa erupting just by looking out your window at night.”

Julia Neal, owner of Pahala Plantation Cottages, said the eruption has brought some relief after many preparatory meetings and is very much wondering what the volcano will do.

“It’s exciting,” she said. “It’s kind of a relief that it’s happening and we’re not waiting for it to happen.”

The news that the eruption has moved from the summit to the rift valley northeast and that lava is not threatening communities below the slopes is also reassuring, she said.

Several prospective guests from the mainland United States called Neil and “asked me to make predictions that I couldn’t do,” she said. “So I said, just wait.”

— Caleb Jones, Associated Press

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