Residents were warned on Monday that volcanic gases and fine ash could drift their way.
Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, began erupting Sunday for the first time since 1984, ending the longest dormant period in recorded history.
The night sky over Hawaii’s largest island glowed as bright red as it was bright.
The night sky over Hawaii’s largest island glowed a bright red as clear, hot lava erupted from the volcano’s summit around 11:30 p.m. local time on Sunday (9:30 a.m. GMT Monday).
The lava is in the summit and poses no threat to Hawaiians living on the slope for now, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The lava is in the summit and poses no threat to the Hawaiians living on the slope for now.
The agency warned residents on Monday that volcanic gases and fine ash could drift their way.
Mauna Loa rises 13,679 feet (4,169 meters) above the Pacific Ocean, part of the chain of volcanoes that formed the islands of Hawaii. It last erupted in March and April 1984, sending a lava flow within 5 miles (8.05 km) of Hilo, the island’s largest city.
Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency said it had opened two shelters on the island as a precaution, but also stressed that there are no signs lava will threaten populated areas and it has not issued evacuation orders.
About half of all of Mauna Loa’s recorded eruptions were confined to the summit, the agency said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NewsMadura staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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