Mauna Loa: World’s largest active volcano erupts in Hawaii
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The US Geological Survey warned there was a “high probability” a stream of molten lava would reach a main highway on Hawaii’s Big Island after the Mauna Loavolcano erupted for the first time in nearly four decades earlier this week.
Officials are preparing for the possibility that the Daniel K Inouye Highway, which connects the communities of Hilo and Kona, could be shut down within days.
“It’ll probably come around the north side of Pu’u Huluhulu, which is right at the Mauna Kea turnoff on Saddle Road,” said Ken Hon, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist-in-charge, at a news conference Wednesday.
The lava flow was previously moving at a rate of 130 meters an hour, which if maintained, means it could reach the main thoroughfare by Friday, the USGS said.
But as of 7pm local time on Wednesday, Mr Hon had confirmed that it had slowed to just 24 metres per hour, as the lava had hit a flat terrain.
While residents may not be at risk from the lava, the Hawaii Department of Health is warning the public about risks of air quality hazards such as vog conditions, ash in the air, and rising levels of sulfur dioxide.
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USGS warns ‘high probability’ lava could reach highway
The US Geological Survey warned during a Wednesday evening press conference that there was a “high probability” that the lava crawling from the erupting Mauna Loa volcano could reach a main highway on Hawaii’s Big Island.
Officials are preparing for the possibility that the Daniel K Inouye Highway, which connects the communities of Hilo and Kona on the island, could be shut down within days as the molten lava continues to flow across the terrain.
“It’ll probably come around the north side of Pu’u Huluhulu, which is right at the Mauna Kea turnoff on Saddle Road,” said Ken Hon, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist-in-charge, at a news conference Wednesday, according to Hawaii News Now.
The lava flow was previously moving at a rate of 130 meters an hour, which if maintained, means it could reach the main thoroughfare by Friday, the USGS said.
But as of 7pm local time on Wednesday, Mr Hon had confirmed that it had slowed to just 24 metres per hour, as the lava had hit a flat terrain.
“The terrain is what is slowing it down. There’s no doubt about it also getting more distant from vent… we’re seeing more crystal… they get hard and like block start providing resistance,” he explained.
Officials within the state were preparing for the seemingly inevitable shutdown of the highway as they mapped out routes for diverting traffic, if needed.
Hawaii Governor David Ige had previously said that, should this shutdown come, he plans to activate the Hawaii National Guard to help set up critical infrastructure and “support planning for alternative routes and help with making available bypass routes if that becomes necessary.”
Johanna Chisholm1 December 2022 11:22
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Lava tumbles slowly towards Saddle Road
The lava was tumbling slowly down the slope and was about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the highway known as Saddle Road. It was not clear when, or if, it would cover the road, which runs through old lava flows.
The road bisects the island and connects the cities of Hilo and Kailua-Kona. People traveling between them would need to take a longer coastal road if Saddle Road becomes impassable, adding several hours of drive time.
Ken Hon, scientist in charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said at current rate of flow, the soonest the lava would get to the road is two days, but he added that things could change.
Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984. The current eruption is its 34th since written record keeping began in 1843. Its smaller neighbor, Kilauea, has been erupting since September 2021, so visitors to the national park were being treated to the rare sight of two simultaneous eruptive events: the glow from Kilauea’s lava lake and lava from a Mauna Loa fissure.
Abel Brown, a visitor from Las Vegas, was impressed by the natural forces on display. He planned to take a close-up helicopter tour later in the day — but not too close.
“There’s a lot of fear and trepidation if you get really close to it,” Brown said. “The closer you get, the more powerful it is and the more scary it is.”
The Associated Press1 December 2022 11:00
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PHOTOS: Spectators flock to Hawaii to view eruption
Spectators watch the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, near Hilo, Hawaii
(AP)
Brian Lichtenstein, of San Diego, takes a photo in front of lava erupting from Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, near Hilo, Hawaii
(AP)
Abigail Dewar, of Alberta, Canada, holds a stuffed animal as she walks over hardened lava rock from a previous eruption as the Mauna Loa volcano erupts, behind, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, near Hilo, Hawaii
(AP)
Kelly Ann Kobayashi raises her hands as she poses for a picture for Chad Saito, left, while standing on hardened lava rock from a previous eruption as the Mauna Loa volcano erupts, behind, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, near Hilo, Hawaii
(AP)
People pose for a photo in front of lava erupting from Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, near Hilo, Hawaii
(AP)
Ingrid Yang, left, and Kelly Bruno, both of San Diego, take a photo in front of lava erupting from Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, near Hilo, Hawaii
(AP)
Gustaf Kilander1 December 2022 10:00
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Viewers flock to eruption of world’s largest volcano
The world’s largest volcano oozed rivers of glowing lava Wednesday, drawing thousands of awestruck viewers who jammed a Hawaiian highway that could soon be covered by the flow.
Mauna Loa awoke from its 38-year slumber Sunday, causing volcanic ash and debris to drift down from the sky. A main highway linking towns on the east and west coasts of the Big Island became an impromptu viewing point, with thousands of cars jamming the highway near Volcanoes National Park.
Anne Andersen left her overnight shift as a nurse to see the spectacle Wednesday, afraid that the road would soon be closed.
“It’s Mother Nature showing us her face,” she said, as the volcano belched gas on the horizon. “It’s pretty exciting.”
Gordon Brown, a visitor from Loomis, California, could see the bright orange lava from the bedroom of his rental house. So he headed out for a close-up view with his wife.
“We just wanted … to come see this as close as we could get. And it is so bright, it just blows my mind,” Brown said.
The lava was tumbling slowly down the slope and was about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the highway known as Saddle Road. It was not clear when, or if, it would cover the road, which runs through old lava flows.
The Associated Press1 December 2022 09:00
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Scientists assure public following worries about South Kona community
Officials were initially concerned that lava flowing down Mauna Loa would head toward the community of South Kona, but scientists later assured the public the eruption had migrated to a rift zone on the volcano’s northeast flank and wasn’t threatening communities.
The lava was flowing “not super fast” at less than 1 mph, Ken Hon, scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said Tuesday. It was moving downhill about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Saddle Road, which connects the eastern and western sides of Hawaii’s Big Island.
The flow was likely to slow down about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from the road, when it hits flatter ground.
It was not clear when or if the lava will reach the road.
The smell of volcanic gases and sulfur was thick Tuesday along Saddle Road, where people watched the wide stream of lava creep closer. Clouds cleared to reveal a large plume of gas and ash rising from a vent on the mountain.
The Associated Press1 December 2022 08:00
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Concerns grow that lava is moving towards road
Gustaf Kilander1 December 2022 06:30
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A flare and a spare: Hawaii volcano visitors see 2 eruptions
“The viewing has been spectacular,” especially at night and before sunrise, park spokesperson Jessica Ferracane said.
Visitors to the park are currently able to witness two eruptive events: the glow from Kilauea’s lava lake and lava from a Mauna Loa fissure.
“This is a rare time where we have two eruptions happening simultaneously,” Ferracane said.
Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984. The current eruption is its 34th since written history began in 1843. Its smaller neighbor, Kilauea, has been erupting since September 2021.
The Associated Press1 December 2022 05:30
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VIDEO: Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano is erupting
Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano is erupting
Gustaf Kilander1 December 2022 04:30
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Why didn’t Mauna Loa explode like Mount St Helens?
Fifty-seven people died when Washington state’s Mount St Helens erupted in 1980 and blasted more than 1,300ft (400m) off the top of the mountain. Steam, rocks and volcanic gas burst upward and outward. A plume of volcanic ash rose over 80,000ft (24,384m) and rained down as far as 250 miles (400km) away.
Hawaii volcanoes like Mauna Loa tend not to have explosion eruptions like this.
That’s because their magma is hotter, drier and more fluid, said Hannah Dietterich, a research geophysicist at the US Geological Survey’s Alaska Volcano Observatory.
The magma in Mount St Helens tends to be stickier and traps more gas, making it much more likely to explode when it rises.
The gas in the magma of Hawaii’s volcanoes tends to escape, and so lava flows down the side of their mountains when they erupt.
Hawaii’s volcanoes are called shield volcanoes because successive lava flows over hundreds of thousands of years build broad mountains that resemble the shape of a warrior’s shield.
Shield volcanos are also found in California and Idaho as well as Iceland and the Galapagos Islands. Alaska’s Wrangell-St Elias National Park has eight shield volcanoes including Mount Wrangell.
Volcanoes like Mount St. Helens are called composite or stratovolcanoes. Their steep, conical slopes are built by the eruption of viscous lava flows and rock, ash and gas. Japan’s Mount Fuji is another example of a composite volcano.
Johanna Chisholm1 December 2022 03:30
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How are volcanic eruptions impacted by climate change?
While the eruption of Mauna Loa is a rare occurrence, the climate crisis could lead to more volcanic activity, some scientists say.
The greenhouse gas emissions heating the planet are melting glaciers and in turn destabilizing mountains, creating conditions for volcanic eruptions that were previously restrained.
“Imagine the ice like some sort of protective layer – when the ice melts away, the mountain is free to collapse,” Gioachino Roberti, a PhD student researching volcanic activity at the University of Clermont Auvergne, previously told The Independent. “If your mountain is a volcano you have another problem. Volcanoes are a pressurised system and if you remove pressure by ice melting and landslide, you have a problem.”
Johanna Chisholm1 December 2022 02:30