Hawaii volcano eruption has some on alert, draws onlookers

Captivating aerial footage captured close-up views of a jet of lava spewing up from Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano after it erupted late Sunday for the first time in decades.

Worsening matters, is that the momentous occasion – which has put the tens of thousands living Hawaii’s Big Island on high alert – has been compounded by the fact that its sister volcano 20 miles away also erupted, something that has not transpired since Loa’s last discharge in 1984.

Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, erupted for the first time in 38 years Sunday night, attracting scores of onlookers desperate to catch a glimpse of the event – while scaring off others all too aware of the risks.

The rare ‘dual eruption’ marked the end of Mauna Loa’s longest quiet period in history, and came four years after an eruption from the Kilauea volcano, located 20 miles east on Hawaii’s big island, left 700 residences destroyed.

Areas in the immediate vicinity of both volcanoes have since been deemed by local officials to be at ‘extreme risk’ of encountering lava flows from the simultaneous eruptions – despite assurance provided by scientists Monday that the lava had deviated to an area where it does not pose a risk to communities.

Still, the uncertainty was unnerving for many who packed up and left their homes on the scenic isle, which is home to a handful of A-list stars such as Pierce Brosnan and Matthew McConaughey.

Loa’s eruption nearly 40 years ago lasted more than two weeks – but did not flow into any of the island’s communities. Officials said Monday that should be the case this time around as well, but warned to be wary of the lava and emissions left by the simultaneous disasters.

Captivating aerial footage captured close-up views of a jet of lava spewing up from Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano after it erupted late Sunday for the first time in decades

The momentous occasion – which has put Hawaii’s Big Island on high alert of flowing lava and suffocating vocanic fog – was further compounded by the fact that its sister volcano situated 20 miles away also erupted, something that has not transpired since Loa’s last eruption in 1984

Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, erupted for the first time in 38 years Sunday night, attracting scores of onlookers desperate to catch a glimpse of the event – while scaring off others all too aware of the risks

Area in the immediate vicinity of both volcanoes have since been deemed by local officials to be at ‘extreme risk’ of encountering lava flows from the simultaneous eruptions – despite assurance provided by scientists Monday that the lava had deviated to an area where it does not pose a risk to communities. Pictured is an aerial view of lava flows from Loa Monday

Loa’s eruption nearly 40 years ago lasted more than two weeks – but did not flow into any of the island’s communities. Officials said that should be the case this time around as well, but warned to be wary of the lava and fog left by the eruptions

The ground is shaking and swelling at Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, indicating that it could erupt. Scientists say they don’t expect that to happen right away but officials on the Big Island of Hawaii are telling residents to be prepared in case it does erupt soon. This map shows the lava flow hazard level zones for the island

The Kilauea volcano, which is smaller and much more active than Mauna Loa, has been in a constant state of eruption since 1983 – though most of the discharges have been insignificant by most scientists’ standards. 

Its last significant activity came in 2018, when lava flows uprooted hundreds of residents in nearby communities like South Kona and Hilo.  

Since then, its eruption activity has been confined to the crater, the US Geological Survey said – that is, until Sunday night, when Loa’s eruption caused earthquakes and sent billows of fog above and across the island.  

Jessica Ferracane, a spokesperson for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, noted Tuesday how the simultaneous eruptions of both volcanoes is an extremely rare occurrence.

‘This is a rare time where we have two eruptions happening simultaneously,’ the state official told CBS News, remarking how several fearless citizens flocked to the reserve to get a view of either of the eruptions, particularly Loa’s.

‘To the people of Hawaii, this is a very sacred event that we are watching.’

The rare ‘dual eruption’ marked the end of Mauna Loa’s longest quiet period in history, and came four years after an eruption from the Kilauea volcano, located 20 miles east on Hawaii’s big island, left 700 residences destroyed.

Spectators watch the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption, Tuesday, near Hilo on Hawaii’s big island. The volcano, the world’s largest, erupted for the first time in nearly 40 years Sunday, attracting onlookers while also scaring off those aware of the horrors that come with an eruption

Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, after it erupted for the first time in 38 years Sunday night. Spectators watch the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption Tuesday despite warnings from officials and mass evacuations

Lava flows down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption Tuesday. Officials were initially concerned that lava flowing down the side of the volcano would affect nearby communities, but scientists later assured the public the eruption deviated to a rift zone on Mauna Loa’s northeast flank – a location deemed safe from the lava flow

The volcano’s lava rivers have historically flowed into different communities including Hilo, which has 45,248 residents, and billionaire’s hideaway Kukio. 

Both areas were put at ‘high risk’ following the eruption late Sunday, whereas the aforementioned rift zones by the volcano, near its smaller counterpart were put at ‘extreme risk,’ after it erupted as well – the first ‘dual’ eruption on the island since 1984.

The eruption has also dredged up bad memories for some residents who have experienced harrowing volcanic events in years past. 

A spectator watches the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption Tuesday near Hilo on Hawaii’s Big Island

People watch the eruption of Mauna Loa, Monday. Smoke filled the air in Kona, Hawaii on Monday as daylight broke through and the Mauna Loa volcano continued to erupt

A river of lava flows down from Mauna Loa Monday. The skies were red after the volcano erupted for the first time in 38 years

In this long camera exposure, cars drive down Saddle Road as Mauna Loa erupts in the distance Monday near Hilo. An ash flow advisory has been issued for the region but the US Geological Survey does not believe there is any risk of magma fall

In this long camera exposure, cars drive down Saddle Road as Mauna Loa erupts in the distance Monday near Hilo. Officials have warned locals to don face masks to deal with fog left by the disaster

Hawaii Gov. David Ige has warned so-called lava junkies seizing on the once-in-a-lifetime event to be wary while sightseeing, citing possible sudden changes in the lava’s flow path and poor air quality caused by ash and ‘vog’ – volcanic fog.

‘We’re thankful the lava flow is not affecting residential areas at this time, allowing schools and businesses to remain open,’ he said in a statement. ‘I´m issuing this Emergency Proclamation now to allow responders to respond quickly or limit access, if necessary, as the eruption continues.’

Hon said lava crossed the Mauna Loa Observatory access road Monday night and cut off power to the facility. It could move toward the county seat of Hilo, he added, but that could take a week or longer.

Hawaii Governor David Ige  warned so-called ‘lava junkies’ taking the once-in-a-lifetime event more lightly to be wary while sightseeing – citing the dangers of such an eruption

Meanwhile, scientists are trying to measure the gas emitted from the eruption.

‘It’s just very early in this eruption right now,’ Hon said. 

Both Hon and Ige warned residents of the dangers of volcanic fog left by the disaster, also known as ‘Vog’ – a hazard isolated to Hawaiian volcanoes in particular.

The presence of vog reduces visibility, creating a potential hazard for drivers, while also limiting visibility for air and ocean traffic.

The phenomenon can also have a suffocating effect, and Ige urged residents to don facemasks to quell harmful particles present in the smog. 

Local resident Nicole Skilling was one of several who took the officials’ words seriously, evacuating the South Kona area of the island after the Kilauea volcano, located 20 miles east from its larger counterpart, erupted Sunday as well, in the first ‘dual eruption’ seen on the island in nearly four decades.

Much of the area, like that surrounding Loa, has been deemed to be at ‘extreme risk’ of encountering lava flows.

The volcano last erupted in 2018, and saw more than 700 residences destroyed. Skilling relocated to the island around this time, and witnessed the horrors the eruption firsthand. Consequently, at the first sign of lava flow late Sunday, she packed her car with food and supplies and fled to a less at risk area up north. 

‘It just happened last night, so I really haven´t had a lot of time to worry about it yet, basically,’ Skilling said Monday. ‘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. … That´s why I do have a little bit of PTSD.’

Even though there were no evacuation orders, some people decided to leave their homes, prompting officials to open shelters in the Kona and Kau areas. Very few if any stayed in them overnight, Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth said, and added that they would be closing Tuesday.

Despite that, some in the area were preparing for unpredictable changes.

In this satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies, lava flows from the Mauna Loa volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii Monday. Waves of orange, glowing lava and ash blasted and billowed from the world’s largest active volcano, and officials told people living on Hawaii’s Big Island to be ready in the event of a worst-case scenario

In this nighttime satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies, lava flows from the Mauna Loa volcano Monday

A spectator watches the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption Tuesday

A river of lava flows down from Mauna Loa Monday/ Loa is the world’s largest active volcano and has not erupted in decades

The glow of the Mauna Loa eruption is seen from Kona Bay, near the island’s west coast and not far from the volcano, Monday

The glow of the Mauna Loa eruption is seen through a grove of palm trees Monday

Kamakani Rivera-Kekololio, who lives in the south Kona community of Hookena, was keeping supplies like food and blankets in his car.

‘We’re being makaukau for anything,’ Rivera-Kekololio said, using the Hawaiian word for ‘ready.’

Ken Hon, scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said Tuesday that the lava was flowing ‘not super-fast’ at less than 1 mph, though the exact speed wasn’t yet clear. It was moving downhill about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Saddle Road, which connects the east and west sides of the island. The flow was likely to slow down about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from the road when it hits flatter ground.

The volcano’s lava rivers have historically flowed into different communities including Hilo, which has 45,248 residents, and billionaire’s hideaway Kukio, home to stars such as Pierce Brosnan and Matthew McConaughey and other affluent figures. In addition to lava flow, officials warned locals to be wary of suffocating fog left in the aftermath of the eruption 

It was not clear when or if the lava will reach the road. It could hit flatter ground later Tuesday or Wednesday, according to Hon.

‘We´re not even sure it will reach the highway, but that is certainly the next step in progress if it continues on these trends,’ he said, adding that it’s also possible a fissure could open up and drain away some of the supply feeding the flow.

The smell of volcanic gases and sulfur was thick in the air Tuesday along Saddle Road, where people were watching a wide stream of lava creep closer. Clouds cleared to reveal a large plume of gas and ash rising from an open summit vent above the flow.

And despite the ‘vog’ and lava flow warnings, hundreds of cars lined up near Hilo and the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve, roughly 25 miles away from the site of the eruption to catch a glimpse of the dazzling lava flows and amber skies left by the disaster.

The eruption is drawing hundreds of visitors to the national park, which is open 24 hours a day. ‘The viewing has been spectacular’ especially before sunrise and at night, park spokeswoman Jessica Ferracane said.

Visitors there are currently able to witness two eruptive events: the glow from Kilauea’s lava lake and lava from a Mauna Loa fissure.

‘This is a rare time where we have two eruptions happening simultaneously,’ Ferracane said.

People in the northern Hilo neighborhood closest to the Mauna Loa eruption were cautious, but not overly scared Tuesday.

The eruption comes as native Hawaiians celebrate Lā Kūʻokoʻa, a former national holiday commemorating the signing of the Anglo-Franco Proclamation of 1843, which officially recognized the Kingdom of Hawaii’s independence and sovereignty from Great Britain and France. 

Over a dozen earthquakes of more than 2.5 magnitude have already struck the region, according to the USGS, with one measuring 4.2 in magnitude. Residents are also advised that periods of snow and freezing fog may occur.

Some South Kona residents have already begun to voluntarily evacuate, though no evacuation orders are in place yet. Shelters are also being set up as a precaution.

Car travel down Saddle Road near the Mauna Loa eruption, Tuesday. Despite local authorities enforcing a no parking zone in the area near the eruption site, many spectators are flooding the area and illegally parking on the side of the highway

Car travel down Saddle Road near the Mauna Loa eruption

As the Mauna Loa eruption takes place in the background, a car travels down Saddle Road, Tuesday

Spectators take photos as they watch the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption, Tuesday

Spectators watch the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption, Tuesday

Spectators watch the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption, Tuesday

A spectator watches the lava flow down the mountain from the Mauna Loa eruption, Tuesday

Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano has begun erupting. This map shows approximate times lava could reach populated areas across the Big Island

Lindsay Cloyd, 33, said it makes her a bit nervous, but she feels safe and is also in awe of the forces of nature happening in her backyard.

Originally from Utah and living in Hawaii for only a few years, she has never been part of an eruption.

‘I feel so humbled and small,’ she said, adding that ‘it´s a profound, incredible experience to get to be here while that´s happening.’

Lindsay Cloyd stands outside her home, Tuesday

Lindsay Cloyd and her dog, Lily, stand inside their home, Tuesday

Lindsay Cloyd and her dog, Lily, stand inside their home, Tuesday

The front of the home where Lindsay Cloyd and her dog, Lily, live, is seen Tuesday

Down the street, Thomas Schneider, 38, an optical engineer at the Gemini Observatory on Mauna Kea, just finished building his new home in the neighborhood.

The threat of lava never came up when he was buying the property, but he’d lived in Hilo for over a decade and knew the risks.

‘If you were to look around my property you would see lava rock formations sticking out,’ he said. ‘We live on an active volcano, so everywhere is kind of a lava zone.’

Mauna Loa´s last eruption came close to his neighborhood but stopped short.

He said he’s not afraid.

‘I’ve been waiting since I moved here to see Mauna Loa go off, it’s supposed to be spectacular,’ he said. ‘It’s kind of exciting that it´s finally erupting.’ 

Tom Schneider talks about the current eruption on Mauna Loa and whether it will affect his home, Tuesday

Tom Schneider over looks his neighborhood from his balcony, Tuesday

In this image, Nicole Skilling of Captain Cook, Hawaii stands next to her packed car as she visits Mauna Loa volcano’s eruption site in Hilo Monday. Skilling lived near the site of the 2018 Kilauea eruption and moved to the South Kona area, which is another high risk zone for volcanic activity

The Mauna Loa volcano is seen erupting in the background near Waimea, Hawaii, on Tuesday

Spectators pull over on Saddle Road to watch the eruption on Mauna Loa Tuesday

An altar is built on an old lava field in front of the erupting Mauna Loa Tuesday

Car are parked near an ancient lava field as a lava flow colors the sky above Mauna Loa Monday

A Native Hawaiian offering is left on an old lava field in front of the erupting Mauna Loa Tuesday

A neighborhood in north Hilo is seen, Tuesday

In a statement, the National Weather Service assured locals that the lava flow had been contained in the volcano’s immediate area.

‘At this time, lava flows are contained within the summit area and are not threatening downslope communities,’ the agency said late Monday, before warning that ‘winds may carry volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele’s hair downwind.

‘Residents at risk from Mauna Loa lava flows should review preparedness and refer to Hawai‘i County Civil Defense information for further guidance. 

‘Based on past events, the early stages of a Mauna Loa eruption can be very dynamic and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly.’ 

The last time the volcano erupted, inmates at the 200-bed minimum security Kulani Correctional Facility – which is at the foot of the volcano – were evacuated. 

The lava rivers came within two miles of the prison. 

A guard at the prison told DailyMail.com on Monday morning that they had not yet received an evacuation order, and that they couldn’t even see the lava from their side of the volcano. 

‘We’re staying put for now,’ the guard said.

He confirmed there are currently 93 inmates at the facility. 

The flow of the lava remains unpredictable.  

‘If the eruption remains in Moku‘āweoweo, lava flows will most likely be confined within the caldera walls.

‘However, if the eruptive vents migrate outside its walls, lava flows may move rapidly downslope,’ The National Weather Service in Honolulu said in a warning this morning. 

The NWS is warning residents with respiratory illness to stay indoors. 

‘People with respiratory illnesses should remain indoors to avoid inhaling the ash particles and anyone outside should cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth.

‘Possible harm to crops and animals. Minor equipment and infrastructure damage. Reduced visibility. Widespread clean-up may be necessary.’ 

Residents awoke in the middle of the night to a bright orange sky. Many shared their photos and videos on Twitter, with some as far as Kona – on the coast – able to see the magma burning.

The volcano is found on Hawaii’s largest island. On Monday morning, the glow from the eruption was visible 40 miles away on the coast in Kona

A view of Mauna Loa from the Kona Coast. The volcano has not erupted for 38 years 

An aerial view of the northeast rift of the Mauna Loa volcano, as pictured in March 1994

The historical flows of lava from Mauna Loa threaten communities on the south, east and north west of the island. Some residents of South Kona stated voluntarily evacuating on Monday 

Pictured: Molten rock flows from Mauna Loa, located on the south-central part of the island of Hawaii, on March 26, 1984, the last time the volcano erupted 

The last time the volcano erupted, inmates at the 200-bed minimum security Kulani Correctional Facility – which is at the foot of the volcano – were evacuated. The lava rivers came within two miles of the prison. A guard at the prison told DailyMail.com on Monday morning that they had not yet received an evacuation order, and that they couldn’t even see the lava from their side of the volcano. ‘We’re staying put for now,’ the guard said

Scientists had been on alert because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of the volcano, which last erupted in 1984. 

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that together make up the Big Island of Hawaii, which is the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago.

At 13,679 feet above the Pacific Ocean, it is not the tallest (that title goes to Mauna Kea) but it’s the largest and makes up about half of the island’s land mass.

It sits immediately north of Kilauea volcano, which is currently erupting from its summit crater. 

Kilauea is well-known for a 2018 eruption that destroyed 700 homes and sent rivers of lava spreading across farms and into the ocean.

Some of Mauna Loa’s slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s so when it erupts, its lava can flow much faster. During a 1950 eruption, the mountain’s lava traveled 15 miles to the ocean in less than three hours. 

Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago in April 1984, sending a flow of lava within 5 miles of the city of Hilo. In written history, dating to 1843, it’s erupted 33 times. 

The Big Island is mostly rural and is home to cattle ranches, coffee farms and beach resorts. 

It’s about 200 miles (320 kilometers) south of Hawaii’s most populous island, Oahu, where the state capital Honolulu and beach resort Waikiki are both located.