Lava flows from the eruption of Mauna Loa on Hawaiis Big Island were moving downslope Monday, but no populated areas were under threat at the time of the last update from the U.S. Geological Surveys Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Monday evening.
Mauna Loa, the worlds largest active volcano, began erupting at 11:30 p.m. HST Sunday in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The eruption was initially contained to the summit caldera, Mokuāweoweo, but “migrated from the summit to the Northeast Rift Zone where fissures are feeding several lava flows,” the agency said Monday. By Monday evening, there was no active lava within Moku’āweoweo caldera, the agency said.
A video shared by the U.S. Coast Guard shows an aerial view of the eruption Monday, with the lava initially appearing bright white in what appears to be black-and-white thermal imagery. The view shifts to color, and a strip of red lava can be seen spewing a plume of volcanic gas.
“U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received a call from Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency with a request for support from an Air Station Barbers Point C-130 to conduct an aerial observation flight of the eruption with partners from the U.S. Geological Survey and officials from the State and County,” said Lt. Eric Juback, D14 command duty officer.
A C-130 Hercules aircrew from Air Station Barbers Point conducted the fly-over with Hawai’i County Mayor Mitch Roth and officials from the Hawaii Civil Defense Agency and U.S. Geological Survey.
The USGS said the situation is dynamic, and “additional fissures could open along the Northeast Rift Zone below the current location, and lava flows can continue to travel downslope.”
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has closed Mauna Loa Road from Kīpukapuaulu until further notice. As a precaution, shelters have been established in Kailua-Kona and Pahala.
The eruption marks the end of the longest quiet period in Mauna Loas recorded history, which began when it last erupted in 1984.
