The flow of lava from the eruption of Mauna Loa on Hawaiis Big Island stalled Thursday about 1.7 miles from Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road), according to the latest update from the U.S. Geological Surveys Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
A video shared Thursday by USGS shows Fissure 3 continuing to erupt, with lava spewing. The agency said that the supply of lava is reduced, however, and some channels appear to be drained of lava.
Mauna Loa, the worlds largest active volcano, began erupting at 11:30 p.m. HST on Nov. 27 in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, according to the USGS. The eruption was initially contained to the summit caldera, Mokuāweoweo, but migrated from the summit to the Northeast Rift Zone where fissures fed multiple lava flows, the agency said.
For several days only one active fissure in the Northeast Rift Zone, fissure 3, has been generating the lava flow. Last week, fissure 3 sent lava fountaining 131–164 feet into the air, the USGS said.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has closed Mauna Loa Road from Kīpukapuaulu until further notice.
The eruption marks the end of the longest quiet period in Mauna Loas recorded history, which began when it last erupted in 1984.
