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World's largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, erupts in Hawaii
The world's largest active volcano has erupted in Hawaii for the first time in nearly four decades, officials said.
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The world's largest active volcano has erupted in Hawaii for the first time in nearly four decades, officials said.
Mauna Loa erupted at 11:30 p.m. local time Sunday (4:30 a.m. ET Monday), the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was the first eruption since 1984, according to its Hawaii Volcano Observatory daily update.
The eruption began in Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa, inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the agency said, as it upgraded the volcano's alert level from an "advisory" to a "warning."
"At this time, lava flows are contained within the summit area and are not threatening downslope communities," the USGS said in a news release. "Winds may carry volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele’s hair downwind," it said, referring to a type of lava.
Residents at risk from Mauna Loa lava flows were advised to "review preparedness and refer to Hawai'i County Civil Defense information for further guidance."
"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," the agency warned. It said that if the eruption remains in Moku‘āweoweo, lava flows would most likely be contained. "However, if the eruptive vents migrate outside its walls, lava flows may move rapidly downslope," it said.
The most recent eruption followed weeks of warnings from officials that an eruption was possible given a recent spike in earthquakes at the volcano’s summit and that residents of the Big Island should be prepared to evacuate, NBC affiliate KHNL of Hawaii reported.
The USGS previously said that “heightened unrest” began in mid-September, when earthquakes beneath the summit increased from 10 to 20 per day to 40 to 50 per day. That unrest prompted Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to close the summit backcountry until further notice, it reported.
Ken Hon of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory had said the earthquakes mainly occurred due to the weight of the mountain slowly sliding toward the ocean, KHNL reported.