The Largest Volcano In The World Erupts In Hawaii

Image: U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

The Mauna Loa is the largest volcano in the world and is located in Hawaii. The Hawaii Department of Health announced the eruption happened Sunday at 11:30 p.m. HST. Officials are warning residents of Hawaii to prepare for the worst-case scenario. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is working with emergency management partners in Hawaii to help give information on the volcano as it travels across the island.

The Observatory believes that the eruption will stay in the northeast rift zone. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency tweeted, "The shift of the erupting area into the northeast rift zone takes the hazard into much less steep terrain. That would provide more time for preparation and early warning, and take the threat away from the steepest slopes of the volcano where lava moves the fastest."

The USGS has encouraged residents to go over their eruption preparations because the lava flows can change at any time and could be a rapid change. The USGS wrote a Sunday night alert on the situation stating, "Based on past events, the early stages of a Mauna Loa eruption can be very dynamic and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly. If the eruption remains in Moku‘āweoweo, lava flows will most likely be confined within the caldera walls. However, if the eruptive vents migrate outside its walls, lava flows may move rapidly downslope."

The Hawaii Red Cross has listed shelters (shown above) for residents to go to for safety. The Hawaii Department of Health has told residents to be prepared for impacts on air quality due to the eruption. The department has also warned that "the eruption could cause vog conditions, ash in the air, and levels of sulfur dioxide to increase and fluctuate in various areas of the state."

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Scientists have been alert for an eruption due to a spike in earthquakes at the summit of Mauna Loa. The volcano alert level has been increased to a warning, and the aviation alert has been changed to red in the light of the eruption Sunday. Mauna Loa is 13,679 feet above sea level and is one of five volcanos in Hawaii. Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984 and sat north of Kilauea volcano, which erupted in 2018, destroying 700 homes and sending lava to the sea.

Experts have noted that Mauna Loa is taller than Kilauea and can rush down slopes faster due to the steeper slopes in the area. We hope everyone is safe in Hawaii, and all of us here at Optimus are praying for you during this time.