New incredible video shows lava from Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano shooting nearly 150 feet into the air
Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, began erupting on Sunday night after remaining quiet for nearly 40 years. When the eruption began, it broke the longest streak on record for time between eruptions.
HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK – New video from the United States Geological Survey shows lava from an active fissure on Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano shooting nearly 150 feet into the air.
Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, began erupting on Sunday night after remaining quiet for nearly 40 years.
The last time Mauna Loa erupted was in 1984, and when the eruption began on Sunday, it ended the longest streak on record between eruptions.
Lava was contained within the volcano's summit when the eruption started on Sunday. However, lava migrated from there to the Northeast Rift Zone by early Monday morning.
Scientists with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported fissures in higher elevations within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park were feeding lava flows upslope of the Mauna Loa Weather Observatory.
ERUPTION OF HAWAII'S MAUNA LOA VOLCANO SENDS LAVA SHOOTING HUNDREDS OF FEET INTO THE AIR
And on Monday night, a lava flow crossed Mauna Loa Weather Observatory Road around 8 p.m. local time.
Officials said the lava flow took out power lines to the observatory, and as a result, there has been a pause in data collection. According to officials, all staff with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from the Mauna Loa Observatory are safe.
HAWAII'S MAUNA LOA, WORLD'S LARGEST ACTIVE VOLCANO, ERUPTS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1984
The USGS on Tuesday said there was no active lava within Moku'āweoweo caldera, and there was no lava erupting from the Southwest Rift Zone.
"We do not expect any eruptive activity outside the Northeast Rift Zone," the USGS said in an update. "No property is at risk currently. There is a visible gas plume from the erupting fissure fountains and lava flows, with the plume primarily being blown to the North."
Mauna Loa history
Since 1843, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times, averaging an eruption every five years.
However, most eruptions before 1950 had an average frequency of 3.5 years. Since 1950, there have only been two eruptions – a summit eruption in 1975 and a rift eruption in 1984.
It had been the longest quiet period on record for Mauna Loa before Sunday night's eruption.