(Washington Insider Magazine)-Could a volcano in Hawaii be signaling eruption is near? Experts think so.
State officials and volcanologists in Hawaii are monitoring volcanic activity beneath the world’s largest active volcano located on Hawaii’s Big Island. The last time that Mauna Loa erupted was in 1984, but warning signs recorded by officials indicate volcanic activity is present and an eruption is possible.
In September 2021, volcanic activity was first observed beneath Mauna Loa when seismologists noticed an increase in minor earthquakes near the volcano’s summit. Earthquakes then spread beneath the caldera and into the northwest region of Hawaii’s Big Island.
The US Geological Survey currently tracks over 50 minor earthquakes per day in the region of Mauna Loa and believes that the volcanic activity is due to new magma deposits entering the volcano into its reservoir system. However, no changes in the landscape near the volcano are present, pointing towards a minor eruption at most.
The world’s largest active volcano has erupted 33 times since volcanologists first observed it in 1843. Its last eruption took place in 1984 and lasted for 22 days. The 1984 eruption showed several of the same signs Mauna Loa exhibits today–a sharp rise in the frequency of earthquakes and volcanic tremors that shook the surrounding area. Luckily, the 1984 eruption resulted in no fatalities due to the active response from officials and residents living close to the volcano.
The most recent volcanic eruption in the United States also took place in Hawaii. Kilauea is a shield volcano located on the southeastern part of Hawaii’s Big Island and started its most recent eruption in September 2021. Kilauea is still active, and ongoing earthquakes continue to force Kilauea to spew molten lava at an accelerated pace. It’s estimated that Kilauea has released over 29 billion gallons of lava since it started its most recent eruption.
It seems that there isn’t an immediate threat to the safety of Hawaiians and tourists on the Big Island. Due to technological advances in seismology tools and volcanic monitoring, potential eruptions are often detected well before the volcano releases any lava.
