Mauna Loa eruption - latest: Hawaii highway threatened as video shows volcano spewing molten lava

A stream of molten lava is threatening the main highway on the Big Island in Hawaii after the Mauna Loa volcano erupted for the first time in nearly four decades earlier this week.

As of Wednesday morning, the lava spewing from the volcano was fewer than five miles away from the highway known as Saddle Road that runs across almost the entire length of the island.

“It does not pose a threat to any communities at this time,” the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency wrote on its website. “But parking along the highway is prohibited between mile markers 16 to 31, and any vehicles left there could be towed.”

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.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the eruption on the state’s Big Island began at approximately 11.30pm local time on Sunday in Mokuaweoweo, the summit caldera of the volcano.

Key Points

  • Molten lava could invade main highway on Hawaii’s Big Island within hours

  • Rare dual-eruption event as pair of volcanoes light up the sky

  • Residents shared concerns weeks before eruption

  • Videos and photos show red glow from volcano eruption

  • New map shows path of eruptive activity

  • Hawaii officials warn about risks of air quality hazards

Molten lava could invade main highway on Hawaii’s Big Island within hours

17:22 , Johanna Chisholm

A stream of molten lava is threatening the main highway on Hawaii’s Big Island after the Mauna Loa volcano erupted for the first time in nearly four decades earlier this week.

As of Wednesday morning, the lava flow eminating from the Mauna Loa eruption was fewer than five miles away from the highway known as Saddle Road that runs across almost the entire length of the island.

“It does not pose a threat to any communities at this time,” the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency wrote on its website on Wednesday morning of the lava flow. “But parking along the highway is prohibited between mile markers 16 to 31, and any vehicles left there could be towed.”

Abe Asher has more here in this developing story.

Mauna Loa molten lava could invade main highway on Hawaii’s Big Island within hours

Mauna Loa remains at red warning level as Northeast Rift Zone eruption continues

17:15 , Johanna Chisholm

In its latest update shared late in the evening Tuesday local time, the USGS confirmed that there is still currently no risk to property as the eruption at the Northeast Rift Zone continues.

There are now several fissures and lava flows active, with the longest and largest fountains coming from fissure three.

“This afternoon, fountains at fissure 3 were consistently 40-50 m (131-164 ft) tall and fountains at fissure 4, which formed at approximately 7:30 p.m. HST on November 28, were 5-10 m (16-33 ft) tall,” the agency wrote in their update.

The USGS does not expect any eruptive activity outside the Northeast Rift Zone.

On 28 November, the USGA estimated that the emission rate of sulfur dioxide (SO2) was approximately 250,000 tonnes per day.

Webcams provide new view of Mauna Loa’s eruption

16:10 , Johanna Chisholm

The United States Geological Survey set up several new webcam views on Mauna Loa’s northeastern rift zone.

On these webcams, viewers can check out live footage of lava flowing from Fissure three and four, as the viscous lava continues flowing downslope.

Mauna Loa: What you need to know

15:48 , Johanna Chisholm

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that together make up the Big Island of Hawaii, which is the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago.

Mauna Loa, rising 13,679 feet (4,169 meters) above sea level, is the much larger neighbor of Kilauea, which erupted in a residential neighborhood and destroyed 700 homes in 2018. Some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s, so lava can flow much faster when it erupts.

During a 1950 eruption, the mountain’s lava traveled 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the ocean in fewer than three hours.

Read on:

What’s happening at Mauna Loa right now?

Rare dual-eruption expected to draw visitors to catch pair of volcanoes lighting up the sky

13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park shared a picture on the park’s social media page on Monday that showed something not seen for nearly 40 years: Mauna Loa and Kilauea, a nearby volcano, erupting at the same time.

The rare dual-eruption event, the park said, hasn’t happened since 1984 and the park expects that as the pair continue to ooze lava - Kilauea has been erupting for more than a year - they will likely draw an influx of visitors to catch a shot of the fiery horizon.

“Viewing areas along KÄ«lauea caldera before sunrise revealed a massive glow from Mauna Loa caldera, Mokuʻāweoweo (13,677 ft. elevation) and a smaller lava lake within HalemaÊ»umaÊ»u (4,009 ft.) at the summit of KÄ«lauea,” the park wrote on Monday, nearly 24 hours after the world’s largest active volcano began erupting.

Visitors planning a trip to HawaiÊ»i Volcanoes National Park should be prepared and stay informed, the park’s superintendent, Rhonda Loh, said in the post, while noting that the park remains open.

Why didn’t Mauna Loa explode like Mount St Helens?

13:15 , Oliver O'Connell

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.

AP

Watch: US Coast Guard flies over Mauna Loa

12:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The US Coast Guard conducted a fly-over on Mauna Loa using a C-130 Hercules for the mission.

Watch a clip of the footage below.

Mauna Loa’s eruption led to rare dual-eruption event with nearby Kilauea

12:15 , Johanna Chisholm

After news broke that the world’s largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, had begun erupting for the first time in nearly 40 years on Sunday night, eyes quickly turned to its neighbouring Kilauea, in hopes that they might be able to catch a rare glimpse of a dual-eruption event.

Those who’d pinned their hopes of catching such a sight were rewarded come early Monday morning, as the sky was set ablaze by the pair of erupting volcanoes at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Kilauea, located just 21 miles away from the larger Mauna Loa, has been erupting for more than a year.

But it was the first time in 38 years that the pair of volcanoes erupted simultaneously this week, treating park visitors to a stunning - and rare - shot that was widely shared on social media.

Neither eruption is currently threatening homes or nearby infrastructure at this time, the park said, though state health officials warned of potential impacts on air quality.

Video shows hot lava spewing 40m into the air after Mauna Loa eruption

11:37 , Johanna Chisholm

The USGS recently released new video footage from the Northern Rift Zone on Mauna Loa, showing just how powerful the volcano’s first eruption in nearly four decades is.

On Tuesday at approximately 11am, the agency captured an angle of one of the fissures that is active at the Hawaiian volcano. In the footage, you can see a fountain of hot lava spew into the air above the ground, which scientists estimated to be between 35 to 40m high.

In a second clip shared by the agency, it shows a video an ‘a‘ā lava flow several meters thick, moving to the northeast.

Watch the clip below here.

Where is Mauna Loa?

11:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that together make up the Big Island of Hawaii, which is the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It’s not the tallest (that title goes to Mauna Kea) but it’s the largest and makes up about half of the island’s land mass.

It sits immediately north of Kilauea volcano, which is currently erupting from its summit crater. Kilauea is well-known for a 2018 eruption that destroyed 700 homes and sent rivers of lava spreading across farms and into the ocean.

Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago. In written history, dating to 1843, it’s erupted 33 times.

The Big Island is mostly rural and is home to cattle ranches, coffee farms and beach resorts. It’s about 200 miles (320 kilometers) south of Hawaii’s most populous island, Oahu, where the state capital Honolulu and beach resort Waikiki are both located.

AP

One month ago: Hawaii’s Big Island gets warning as huge volcano rumbles

10:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Authorities warned Hawaii residents to prepare one month ago...

Hawaii officials are warning residents of the Big Island that the world’s largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, is sending signals that it may erupt.

Although an eruption isn’t imminent, scientists are on alert because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the volcano’s summit. Experts say it would take just a few hours for lava to reach homes closest to the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.

Hawaii's Big Island gets warning as huge volcano rumbles

Mauna Loa: What you need to know

09:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that together make up the Big Island of Hawaii, which is the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago.

Mauna Loa, rising 13,679 feet (4,169 meters) above sea level, is the much larger neighbor of Kilauea, which erupted in a residential neighborhood and destroyed 700 homes in 2018. Some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s, so lava can flow much faster when it erupts.

During a 1950 eruption, the mountain’s lava traveled 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the ocean in fewer than three hours.

Read on:

What’s happening at Mauna Loa right now?

How many people are in danger?

08:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Although there is no immediate danger to communities on Hawaii’s Big Island, officials have warned residents to be ready for the worst.

Many current residents weren’t living there when Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago. The US Geological Survey warned the roughly 200,000 people on the Big Island that an eruption “can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly.”

The eruption began late Sunday night following a series of fairly large earthquakes, said Ken Hon, the scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

There’s been a surge of development on the Big Island in recent decades — its population has more than doubled, from 92,000 in 1980.

Most of the people on the island live in the city of Kailua-Kona to the west of the volcano, which has about 23,000 people, and Hilo to the east, with about 45,000. Officials were most worried about several subdivisions about 30 miles to the south of the volcano, which are home to about 5,000 people.

AP

Dramatic photos of the eruption at sunrise

07:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Hawaii transport agency issues guidance to air passengers

05:05 , Oliver O'Connell

The Hawaii Department of Transportation has issued guidance to air passengers in light of the eruption of Mauna Loa as the situation develops.

Hawaii Island Passengers with flights to Hilo International Airport (ITO) or the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) should check with their airline prior to heading to the airport due to the volcanic activity at Mauna Loa.

How are volcanic eruptions impacted by climate change?

04:05 , Oliver O'Connell

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.”

Louise Boyles reports.

How does climate change impact volcanic eruptions?

‘Slow buildup’ to eruption was recognised by authorities

03:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Asked whether there were signs that the eruption was coming, the USGS Volcanoes Twitter account replied: “Activity has definitely been elevated for months - enough that HVO started holding community meetings in potentially impacted areas to ensure that residents knew the hazards and what to expect. Onsets are always very rapid at Mauna Loa, but the slow buildup was recognized.”

Residents shared concerns weeks before eruption

02:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Hawaii residents were worried about a possible eruption weeks before it happened.

“We are concerned. We haven’t thought too much about the volcano, even in 2018 when an [KÄ«lauea] eruption happened on the east side of the island. We knew it would not touch our homes,” resident Laura Roberts told Newsweek last month.

“Here in Ocean View, [Mauna Loa’s] lava could reach the ocean in less than three hours and our homes faster than that. We are on the rift zone so fissures could open. It’s a weird feeling to know that there is a possibility of losing your home. It also makes us feel like we should not travel because what if something happens and we can’t evacuate our important things and animals,” she added at the time.

Lava reached sea in under three hours during 1950 eruption

01:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes making up the Big Island of Hawaii – the island furthest to the south in the Hawaiian archipelago.

The volcano reaches 13,679 feet (4,169m) over the sea and sites beside the smaller Kilauea volcano.

Kilauea erupted in 2018, destroying 700 homes, according to the Associated Press.

Some of the slopes on Mauna Loa are steeper than those of Kilauea, meaning that lava can travel faster.

When it erupted in 1950, the lava went 15 miles (24km), hitting the ocean in under three hours.

What hazards are posed by Hawaii’s Mauna Loa?

00:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Lava is shooting 100 ft to 200 ft into the air as Hawaii‘s Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, erupts for the first time in nearly 40 years.

For now, lava is not threatening any homes or communities and no evacuation orders have been issued. Lava could eventually reach neighborhoods as it flows downhill though it could take a week or more for molten rock to reach populated areas.

Mauna Loa is spewing sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases. They form volcanic smog, or vog, when they mix with vapor, oxygen and dust in sunlight. As a result, state health officials are urging people to cut back on outdoor exercise and other activities that cause heavy breathing.

Here, The Independent has the latest information about what hazards are posed by Mauna Loa’s eruption.

EXPLAINER: What hazards are posed by Hawaii's Mauna Loa?

Mauna Loa is home to critical global CO2 monitoring site

00:05 , Oliver O'Connell

On the north flank of the Mauna Loa Volcano sits the observatory holding the longest record of carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement in the atmosphere.

The measurements, started in 1958 by Charles David Keeling, a scientist with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration facility, have been integral to the world’s understanding of the climate crisis.

The Mauna Loa Observatory is 11,135 feet above sea level making it an ideal location for gathering the data because of its remoteness from people and vegetation, and relatively undisturbed air.

CO2 is being pumped into the atmosphere mainly from burning fossil fuels. This heating of the planet is leading to increases in sea level rise and more extreme impacts like wildfires, floods and storms.

The last measurement of global daily CO2 was 418.05 parts per million (ppm) on 27th November, 2022 - and it continues to rise.

PPM refers to how many parts of carbon dioxide there are in one million parts of air. Climate scientists have suggested that around 350ppm would be a safe level of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Mauna Loa’s eruption led to rare dual-eruption event with nearby Kilauea

Tuesday 29 November 2022 23:35 , Oliver O'Connell

After news broke that the world’s largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, had begun erupting for the first time in nearly 40 years on Sunday night, eyes quickly turned to its neighbouring Kilauea, in hopes that they might be able to catch a rare glimpse of a dual-eruption event.

Those who’d pinned their hopes of catching such a sight were rewarded come early Monday morning, as the sky was set ablaze by the pair of erupting volcanoes at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Kilauea, located just 21 miles away from the larger Mauna Loa, has been erupting for more than a year.

But it was the first time in 38 years that the pair of volcanoes erupted simultaneously this week, treating park visitors to a stunning - and rare - shot that was widely shared on social media.

Neither eruptions are currently threatening homes or nearby infrastructure at this time, the park said, though state health officials warned of potential impacts on air quality.

Warnings issued for weeks prior to eruption

Tuesday 29 November 2022 23:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Warnings began to be issued part way through September when geologists began to record an uptick in the number of earthquakes trembling below the surface of Mauna Loa.

For a typical day in mid-September, the site was experiencing approximately 20 quakes a day, but that number shifted up to 40 by the beginning of October.

In response to this shift in seismic activity, the US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory updated its advisory level from green to yellow out of precaution for the volcano’s “heightened unrest”.

In this four-tier advisory system, green is the lowest and equates to normal activity; yellow intimates that the “volcano is exhibiting signs of elevated unrest above known background activity”; orange is watch and means that there is “escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption”; and red means an eruption is “imminent, underway, or suspected”.

In October, the summit of Mauna Loa was closed to tourists in light of the heightened activity out of what the NPS called “a precautionary measure”.

Latest USGS pictures of the Mauna Loa eruption

Tuesday 29 November 2022 22:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Mauna Loa erupting for the first time in 38 years (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Mauna Loa erupting for the first time in 38 years (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
 (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
(Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
 (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
(Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

What happens next?

Tuesday 29 November 2022 22:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Each eruption since 1843 started at Mauna Loa’s summit. Half the time, the volcano later also began erupting from vents at lower elevations. The other half of the time it only erupted in the summit caldera.

Scientists can’t tell far in advance when and where Mauna Loa will open new vents and erupt.

Vents generally form along the volcano’s rift zone. That’s where the mountain is splitting apart, the rock is cracked and relatively weak and it’s easier for magma to emerge.

An eruption from vents on the southwest rift zone could hit residential communities, coffee farms or coastal villages on the west side of the island. Lava could reach homes in just hours or days.

The west side’s most populous town would be protected from any Mauna Loa eruption by the presence of another active volcano. The broad flanks of that volcano, Hualalai, sit between Mauna Loa’s southwest rift zone and Kailua-Kona and would block any lava heading toward the coastal community.

An eruption from the northeast rift zone could send lava toward the county seat of Hilo or other towns in East Hawaii. It could take lava weeks or months to reach populated areas on this side of the mountain.

Scott Rowland, a geologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said there’s no pattern when it comes to where an eruption will occur.

“Just because the last one was on the northeast rift zone does not mean the next one will be down the southwest rift zone,” he said.

AP

In pictures: Mauna Loa eruption sees 200 ft fountains of lava set Hawaiian sky ablaze in fiery glow

Tuesday 29 November 2022 22:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Shortly after the 11.30pm eruption on Sunday on the state’s Big Island, pictures of Mauna Loa began flooding social media with the USGS reporting that the event had triggered dozens of earthquakes of more than 2.5 magnitudes on the Richter scale, with one of them clocking in at 4.2.

Here is a roundup of some of the best pictures that capture the stunning fountains of lava that began spewing from the volcano earlier this week. Some were captured by USGS webcams at the summit, while others show the plumes of amber-looking smoke rising into the sky above.

Mauna Loa in pictures: 200 ft walls of lava set Hawaiian sky ablaze in fiery glow

Where is Mauna Loa erupting from?

Tuesday 29 November 2022 22:05 , Johanna Chisholm

The eruption at Mauna Loa began Sunday night at its summit after a series of large earthquakes. It then spread to vents that formed in a rift zone where the mountain is splitting apart and it’s easier for magma to emerge.

These vents are on the mountain’s northeast side and lava emerging there could head toward Hilo which is on the east side of the island.

Ken Hon, scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said he doesn’t expect additional vents to form on the volcano’s southwest rift zone during this eruption. That means communities to the west would be spared lava flows this time.

Mauna Loa’s also erupted from the northeast in 1984. That time, lava headed toward Hilo but stopped a few miles short of the city.

Historically, each Mauna Loa eruption has lasted a few weeks. Hon expects the current eruption to follow this pattern.

AP

Lava flow as seen from space

Tuesday 29 November 2022 21:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Composite satellite images released by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies show long lava flows moving along the northeast rift zone of Mauna Loa.

Why didn’t Mauna Loa explode like Mount St Helens?

Tuesday 29 November 2022 21:05 , Johanna Chisholm

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.

AP

Incredible new footage of eruption

Tuesday 29 November 2022 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Paradise Helicopters have shot incredible new footage of the eruption (via KITV4).

Hawaii officials warn about risks of air quality hazards

Tuesday 29 November 2022 20:30 , Johanna Chisholm

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 – following the eruption of Mauna Loa.

As of 12am local time on Tuesday, permanent air quality monitoring stations across the state reported that air quality remains normal.

However, conditions are changing rapidly, and poor air quality may be very localised, the agency warned.

The agency released the following guidance for residents in the event of voggy conditions:

  • Reduce outdoor activities that cause heavy breathing. Avoiding outdoor activity and exercise during vog conditions can reduce exposure and minimize health risks. This is especially important for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions including asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic lung and heart disease.

  • People with asthma or a chronic respiratory disease should always have medications available. Daily prescribed medications should be taken on schedule.

  • People experiencing health effects should contact their medical provider as soon as possible if any symptoms develop, as respiratory conditions might worsen rapidly in heavy sulfur dioxide or vog conditions.

  • Stay indoors and close windows and doors. If an air conditioner is used, set it to recirculate. If you need to move out of an impacted area, turn on the car’s air conditioner and set it to recirculate.

  • Face masks (surgical, cloth, KF94, KN95, N95) do not provide protection from sulfur dioxide or vog. However, they can be effective in outdoor environments in reducing inhaled hazardous particulates associated with falling ash and Pele’s hair.

  • Do not smoke and avoid second-hand smoke.

  • Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

NOAA research facility cut off by lava

Tuesday 29 November 2022 20:18 , Oliver O'Connell

A research facility for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been cut off by lava.

The NOAA Mauna Loa Observatory located on the north side of the volcano has had its power lines and road connection severed by the flow from the eruption. All NOAA staff are safe.

The facility has been continuously monitoring and collecting data related to atmospheric change since the 1950s.

What is vog?

Tuesday 29 November 2022 20:05 , Johanna Chisholm

Though residents may not necessarily be at risk of lava flows at this moment, 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.

‘Vog’ is a kind of hazy air pollution that is created after a volcanic emissions when sulfur dioxide and other gases and particles react with oxygen in the air in the presence of sunlight. Vog, a combo of the words “volcanic” and “smog”, is created within hours to days after an eruption and in that time converts to fine particles, which scatter sunlight, causing the visible haze that can be observed after an eruption.

In the case of Mauna Loa, areas far downwind (e.g., the west side of Hawaiʻi Island and other islands in the state) are mostly affected by the fine particles, while those residing closer to the eruptive vents, including the communities ranging from Ocean View to Hilo, can be exposed to both SO2 gas and fine particles during periods of vog.

SO2 is a colourless, irritating gas that has an acrid odour like fireworks or a burning match. It is also emitted from sources such as fossil fuel power plants and motor vehicles.

Vog contains mostly SO2 and acid particles, in contrast to urban, industrial, and other pollution sources, which also contain additional toxic contaminants, such as ozone and hydrocarbons.

More detail from the 9am eruption update

Tuesday 29 November 2022 19:41 , Oliver O'Connell

KITV4 meteorologist Malika Dudley has tweeted out some notes from this morning’s 9am press conference on the status of the eruption.

The lava is now travelling at less than 1mph and is between five and six miles from the aforementioned Daniel K Inouye Highway.

Fissure 1 and 2 are inactive, and Fissure 3 is the main producer. A new fissure (Fissure 4) appeared overnight.

The public can visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park but are advised to time visits before 9am or after 9pm when it is less busy — though the eruption is visible from anywhere on the island.

9am Civil Defense update

Tuesday 29 November 2022 19:27 , Oliver O'Connell

The County of Hawaii Civil Defense Agency has provided its latest update on the eruption for Tuesday at 9am local time.

The Volcano Alert Level remains at “Warning” and the Aviation Code is “Red”.

  • The eruption of Mauna Loa continues on the northeast rift zone.

  • Lava crossed the upper portion of the Mauna Loa Access Road last night.

  • The flow front is currently 6 miles away from Saddle Road (Daniel K Inouye Highway).

  • It does not pose a threat to any communities at this time.

What kind of volcano is Mauna Loa?

Tuesday 29 November 2022 19:00 , Johanna Chisholm

Scientists divvy the different kinds of volcanoes that are scattered across the Earth - both below and above sea level - into three main categories, which include: stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes and cinder cone volcanoes.

Shield volcanoes:

Mauna Loa is categorised as a shield volcano, as are most formations that you’ll find in Hawaii. These volcanoes are known for their title-earning appearance of looking like, you guessed it: a shield.

The broad and flat volcanoes can span hundreds of kilometres in width. Though they’re not as commonly known for their violent explosions, these are possible. And the basalt lava that erupts from the shield variety can be dangerous since it has a lower viscosity and can cross larger swaths of land as it moves with greater ease and speed.

 (AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)

Stratovolcanoes:

Stratovolcanoes appear as what most people assume all volcanoes to look like, with their tall and cone-shaped peaks resembling the models that were likely modelled in most junior high school science fairs.

The bigger peaks in these volcanoes are created from the build up several layers of lava, ash, and tephra - a fragmental material that most volcanologists use as a catchall term for products made by a volcanic eruption regardless of composition or size.

The iconographic “cone” in these volcanoes is created from the fallout of the ash or lava flows after it erupts and cools on the surface, as they typically go through several cycles of smaller eruptions.

These kinds of volcanoes are more commonly found along the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is largely because of the way the Pacific Ocean seafloor is moving downward under the continents.

Cinder Cones:

The third and smaller, by comparison, volcano grouping is referred to as cinder cones, or scoria cones. This variety measures only about tens of metres in height, but similar to stratovolcanoes, they’re also known for their steep appearance that usually included a large bowl-shaped crater at the summit.

These volcanoes are formed out of magma, ash and tephra that spews out from the centre that, similar to the stratovolcanoes, begins to take shape after the matter cools on the surface, creating a steep cone-like shape.

While the overall size of these volcanoes may be smaller than others, its characteristic for these volcanoes to have very violent and explosive eruptions. Famous examples of these kinds of volcanoes include Paricutin in Mexico and Mt Vesuvius in Italy.

Webcam view shows direction of flows moving from Mauna Loa

Tuesday 29 November 2022 18:30 , Johanna Chisholm

The US Geological Survey tweeted out a new annotated image of the flows moving from Mauna Loa early on Monday morning.

Using a webcam on Mauna Kea, which looks directly at Mauna Loa, the agency was able to show how the flows coming from the volcano’s Fissure 3 have moved north overnight, with two new flows moving north down the rift of Fissure 3.

New map shows path of eruptive activity

Tuesday 29 November 2022 18:00 , Johanna Chisholm

Hawaii officials have released a new map of the Mauna Loa eruption, revealing the areas currently under threat from lava spewing out of the world’s largest active volcano.

In a Monday night update, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said that no populated areas were under threat but that officials would provide updates if the situation changed.

“The Mauna Loa eruption has focused on the NE Rift Zone. No populated areas are currently threatened, so the HVO social media team will sign off for the night,” the department tweeted.

“We’ll break in if there are any major changes and will be back in the morning. Latest map and morning photo attached.”

Latest map of eruptive activity from Mauna Loa (USGS)
Latest map of eruptive activity from Mauna Loa (USGS)

ICYMI: World’s largest active volcano Mauna Loa erupts in Hawaii causing more than dozen earthquakes

Tuesday 29 November 2022 17:30 , Johanna Chisholm

Hawaii’s National Weather Service branch has issued an ashfall warning after an eruption began on Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on Earth, on the state’s Big Island.

The eruption, the volcano’s first in nearly four decades, has triggered dozens of earthquakes of more than 2.5 magnitude on the richter scale, one of them clocking in at 4.2.

According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the eruption began at approximately 11.30pm Hawaii time on Sunday night. The service warned that “winds may carry volcanic gas and possibly fine ash ... downwind”.

So far, the service has said that lava flows “are contained within the summit area and are not threatening downslope communities”, but also warned that the early stages of eruption can see lava flows change rapidly.

Andrew Naughtie reports here from just hours after the volcano began erupting.

World’s largest active volcano erupts

Mauna Loa eruption in pictures: 200 ft fountains of lava set Hawaiian sky ablaze in fiery glow

Tuesday 29 November 2022 17:00 , Johanna Chisholm

Shortly after the 11.30pm eruption on the state’s Big Island, pictures of the Mauna Loa eruption began flooding social media with the USGS reporting that the event had triggered dozens of earthquakes of more than 2.5 magnitudes on the Richter scale, with one of them clocking in at 4.2.

Here is a roundup of some of the best pictures that capture the stunning fountains of lava that began spewing from the volcano earlier this week. Some were captured by USGS webcams at the summit, while others show the plumes of amber-looking smoke rising into the sky above.

Mauna Loa in pictures: 200 ft walls of lava set Hawaiian sky ablaze in fiery glow

What hazards are posed by Hawaii’s Mauna Loa?

Tuesday 29 November 2022 16:30 , Johanna Chisholm

Lava is shooting 100 ft to 200 ft into the air as Hawaii‘s Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, erupts for the first time in nearly 40 years.

For now, lava is not threatening any homes or communities and no evacuation orders have been issued. Lava could eventually reach neighborhoods as it flows downhill though it could take a week or more for molten rock to reach populated areas.

Mauna Loa is spewing sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases. They form volcanic smog, or vog, when they mix with vapor, oxygen and dust in sunlight. As a result, state health officials are urging people to cut back on outdoor exercise and other activities that cause heavy breathing.

Here, The Independent has the latest information about what hazards are posed by Mauna Loa’s eruption.

EXPLAINER: What hazards are posed by Hawaii's Mauna Loa?

What’s happening at Mauna Loa right now?

Tuesday 29 November 2022 16:03 , Johanna Chisholm

Hawaii’s National Weather Service branch has issued an ashfall warning after an eruption began on Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano, on the state’s Big Island.

The eruption, the volcano’s first in nearly four decades, has triggered dozens of earthquakes of more than 2.5 magnitudes on the Richter scale, one of them clocking in at 4.2.

According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the eruption began at approximately 11.30pm Hawaii time on Sunday night. The service warned that “winds may carry volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele’s Hair downwind”.

So far, the service has said that lava flows “are contained within the summit area and are not threatening downslope communities”, but also warned that the early stages of eruption can be highly changeable, with lava flows prone to changing rapidly.

Here, The Independent’s Andrew Naughtie, Johanna Chisholm and Gustaf Kilander break down everything you need to know about the eruption at Mauna Loa.

What’s happening at Mauna Loa right now?

Rare dual-eruption expected to draw visitors to catch pair of volcanoes lighting up the sky

Tuesday 29 November 2022 15:30 , Johanna Chisholm

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park shared a picture on the park’s social media page on Monday that showed something not seen for nearly 40 years: Mauna Loa and Kilauea, a nearby volcano, erupting at the same time.

The rare dual-eruption event, the park said, hasn’t happened since 1984 and the park expects that as the pair continue to ooze lava - Kilauea has been erupting for more than a year - they will likely draw an influx of visitors to catch a shot of the fiery horizon.

“Viewing areas along KÄ«lauea caldera before sunrise revealed a massive glow from Mauna Loa caldera, Mokuʻāweoweo (13,677 ft. elevation) and a smaller lava lake within HalemaÊ»umaÊ»u (4,009 ft.) at the summit of KÄ«lauea,” the park wrote on Monday, nearly 24 hours after the world’s largest active volcano began erupting.

Visitors planning a trip to HawaiÊ»i Volcanoes National Park should be prepared and stay informed, the park’s superintendent, Rhonda Loh, said in the post, while noting that the park remains open.

Watch: US Coast Guard flies over Mauna Loa

Tuesday 29 November 2022 15:10 , Johanna Chisholm

The US Coast Guard conducted a fly-over on Mauna Loa using a C-130 Hercules for the mission.

Watch a clip of the footage below.

Residents encouraged to know their inundation zone and plan ahead

Tuesday 29 November 2022 14:30 , Johanna Chisholm

Hawaii County is encouraging residents to check an interactive map of potential lava inundation zones that could be impacted as the eruption progresses from vents upslope.

A further map helps residents identify their property’s hazard zone. These zones are used to understand the long-term likelihood of lava flow coverage and are numbered between one and nine. Zone 1 is the most hazardous and it includes summit and rift zone areas where eruptions have occurred repeatedly.