Shocking new pictures show horror of Mauna Loa’s first eruption in 36 years
STUNNING photos show Mauna Loa, the biggest active volcano in the world, shooting out lava in its first eruption in nearly 40 years.
The night sky in Hawaii burned reddish orange as the volcano began spewing lava for the first time since 1984.
Hawaii Island is facing constant earthquakes and ashfall in anticipation of this historic event.
Daniel K. Inouye Highway may close as a result of the lava flow, as it looks to be approaching the road, but there has not yet been a guarantee that it will cross, Hawaii News Now reported.
The state’s Mayor Mitch Roth has asked residents to keep alternative methods of travel in mind as the lava flow touching this area would largely affect the movement of civilians through the state.
If needed, the state transportation department could shut down the highway between mile markers 8.8 and 21 with barricades, the outlet reported.
Currently, the lava is 4.5 miles from the open highway and is flowing less than a mile an hour while stretching nearly six miles long.
A key international climate monitoring station has lost power and public access due to the lava flowing across a private road en route to it.
As of Tuesday, officials stated that downslope communities are safe from the flow.
Two different emergency shelters that were originally opened for voluntary evacuators were closed because of the nonthreat, Hawaii News Now reported.
Mayor Mitch Roth said: “This has been a very fluid event and things change very quickly.
“That’s why we’re trying to be as conservative as we can.”
The volcano’s magma along the highway has drawn crowds.
Vog, or ash corruption of the air, is another threat to Hawaiians as the eruption continues.
A total of four fissures, smaller openings in the volcano, have split agape, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory head scientist Ken Hon.
The active two include fissure number three, which Hon said is the “main” fissure, vomiting lava up to 100 feet high, and the smaller fissure number four, which busted open on Tuesday.
Hon revealed it’s still “early” in the eruption.
Schools remain open despite volcanic activity.
But, the eruption has brought back bad memories among residents who previously had to flee their homes due to volcanic activity.
Nicole Skilling told the AP on Monday: “It just happened last night, so I really haven’t had a lot of time to worry about it yet, basically.
“And thankfully, right now, it’s at the northeast rift zone. But if it breaks on the west side, that’s when we’re talking about coming into a large populated area.”
She revealed that she has a “little bit of PTSD”.
But Kamakani Rivera-Kekololio said he is prepared for all outcomes as he has kept blankets and food in his car.
Mauna Loa’s 1984 eruption flowed in the same direction as this current one, the northeast rift zone, stopping four miles short of Hilo.
It is estimated that the present eruption could last for two weeks, but officials say a change in this hypothesis is always possible.