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Waves of orange, glowing lava and smoky ash belched and sputtered Monday from the world’s largest active volcano in its first eruption in 38 years, and officials told people living on Hawaii’s Big Island to be ready in the event of a worst-case scenario.
The eruption of Mauna Loa wasn’t immediately endangering towns, but 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”.
Officials told residents to be prepared to evacuate if lava flows started heading toward populated areas.
The eruption began late Sunday night in the summit caldera of the volcano on the Big Island, the US Geological Survey said. Early on Monday, it said lava flows were not threatening nearby communities.
Ken Hon, scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said air quality could deteriorate while the eruption lasted, which scientists expect will be about one or two weeks if the volcano follows historical patterns.
Bobby Camara, a lifelong Big Island resident who lives in Volcano Village, said everyone across the island should keep track of the eruption. He said he had seen three Mauna Loa eruptions in his lifetime and stressed the need for vigilance.
