Hawaii prepares for the eruption of the world's largest active volcano: lava can reach homes in a matter of hours

Hawaii authorities are warning residents of the Big Island that the world's largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, is sending signals of a possible eruption. Read more about the situation told the publication APNews.

Photo: IStock

Scientists say an eruption is not imminent, but they are watching the volcano because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit. Experts say it will only take a few hours for the lava to reach homes closest to the vents of the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.

The Hawaii Civil Defense Agency is holding meetings across the island to educate residents on how to prepare for a possible emergency. They recommend having a "hiking" bag of food, identifying a place to stay after they leave home, and making a plan to reunite with family members.

“There is no need to panic, but you should know that you live on the slopes of Mauna Loa. There is a possibility of a lava catastrophe,” said Talmadge Magno, civil defense administrator for the District of Hawaii.

According to him, the volcano makes up 51% of the land mass of the island of Hawaii, so most of the island could be affected by the eruption.

In recent decades, the Big Island has seen a surge in development, more than doubling its population (from 92 in 000 to 1980). Many of these new residents were gone when Mauna Loa last erupted 200 years ago. This is another reason why Magno said officials are spreading the word about the volcano and urging people to be prepared.

On the subject: Where are the most dangerous supervolcanoes located and what will happen if they wake up

At 4169 meters above sea level, Mauna Loa is a much larger neighbor to the Kilauea volcano, which erupted in a residential area and destroyed 700 homes in 2018. Some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea's, so when it erupts, its lava can flow much faster.

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

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, part of the US Geological Survey, said Mauna Loa has been in a state of "heightened turmoil" since the middle of last month, when the number of earthquakes at the summit jumped from 10-20 per day to 40-50.

Scientists believe that more earthquakes are happening because more magma is fed into the reservoir system at the top of Mauna Loa from a hot spot below the earth's surface, which feeds the molten rock of Hawaii's volcanoes.

In recent days, the frequency of tremors has decreased, but may increase again.

Last weekend, more than 220 people attended a gathering held by county civil defense officials in Ocean View, an area that lava could reach in hours if the molten rock erupted.

One of the residents of the area, Bob Werner, did not attend the meeting, because he said that it is reasonable to know about a possible eruption, but one should not be afraid of it. Bob is not worried that the area will be completely cut off if the lava flows along the only road connecting it to the larger cities of Kailua-Kona and Hilo.

“Most worrying is that it will be very frustrating to drive an extra hour or two to buy what you need,” he said.

Ryan Williams, owner of the Margarita Village bar in Hilo, is confident that volcanic disturbances do not bother customers who are used to warnings.

Officials hold meetings at city hall urging people to get ready.

“From everything I’ve read and heard, I understand one thing: they are trying to kind of assure us that the conditions have not changed,” Williams said. “There is no imminent eruption, you just need to be alert.”

Magno said his agency is now talking to residents because the communities closest to the vents won't have enough time to learn how to respond in the event of an imminent eruption.

The current alert level is "advisory", meaning the volcano is showing signs of concern, but there is no evidence that an eruption is certain to occur.

Residents of other parts of the island will have more time to react.

Lava from the northeast side of Mauna Loa can reach residential areas in days or weeks. This is because the slopes of the mountain on this side are relatively gentle, and the cities are farther away from the volcanic vents.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

Frank Trusdell, a research geologist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said that all of Mauna Loa's eruptions in human history began in a crater at its summit. About half of them remained there, while the other half later spewed lava from vents below the mountain.

The lava erupting from the summit usually does not reach residential areas.

Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843. The last time this happened was in 1984, when lava flowed down its eastern slope, only to stop 4,5 miles (7,2 km) from Hilo, the Big Island's most populous city.

Mauna Loa has a history of huge volumes of lava activity.

During the 1950 eruption, which lasted 23 days, Mauna Loa released 1000 cubic meters (1307 cu yd) of lava per second. And Kilauea is only 300 cubic meters (392 cubic yards) per second in 2018.

Earthquakes could continue for some time before any eruption: increased seismic activity lasted for a year before the eruption in 1975 and a year and a half before the eruption in 1984. But aftershocks are able to subside, and this time Mauna Loa may not erupt.

Trusdell said residents should look at the department's maps and find out how quickly lava will appear in their area. He urged people living in one of the nearby areas to pay attention if the top turns red.

“All you have to do is look over there and see the glow. Then you take your things, throw them in the car and drive, and quickly, ”he said.

According to the geologist, people can always return home if the lava doesn't end up flowing into their area.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Online tools from USCIS that greatly simplify the life of immigrants in the United States

Tesla vs. Hyundai: which electric car is more convenient and economical

Shampoos of popular brands are recalled in the USA because they can provoke cancer

Young families can only afford to buy a house in 4 US cities: where exactly and for how much

Costco Secret Rules: What You Need to Know to Save Money

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.