World’s Largest Active Volcano Mauna Loa Erupts In Hawaii: Report
The eruption began late Sunday night in the top caldera of the Big Island volcano, according to the US Geological Survey.
Authorities on Monday announced that Mauna Loa, the world's biggest active volcano, has begun to erupt, causing volcanic ash and debris to fall nearby, news agency Associated Press (AP) reported.
The eruption began late Sunday night in the top caldera of the Big Island volcano, according to the US Geological Survey. It stated early Monday that lava flows were restricted inside the summit area and did not pose a threat to adjacent villages.
The government advised households at danger of Mauna Loa lava flows to reassess their evacuation plans. Scientists have been on high alert due to a recent increase in tremors near the volcano's top, which last erupted in 1984.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu issued an ashfall advisory for parts of the Big Island, warning that up to a quarter-inch (0.6 centimeters) of ash could accumulate in some areas.
Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that make up the Big Island of Hawaii, the Hawaiian archipelago's southernmost island.
Mauna Loa volcano, which rises 13,679 feet (4,169 metres) above sea level, is far larger than Kilauea volcano, which erupted in a residential area in 2018 and destroyed 700 houses. Because its slopes are steeper than Kilauea's, when it erupts, the lava flows significantly quicker.
During a 1950 eruption, lava from the mountain went 15 miles (24 kilometres) to the ocean in only three hours.
Scientists believe the Shiveluch volcano in Russia's remote eastern Kamchatka peninsula is preparing for its first major eruption in 15 years, Reuters reported.
Kamchatka is home to 29 active volcanoes, which are part of the "Ring of Fire," a large strip of Earth that encircle the Pacific Ocean and is prone to eruptions and frequent earthquakes.
The majority of the peninsula's volcanoes are surrounded by sparsely populated forest and tundra, posing little risk to locals, but large eruptions can spew glass, rock, and ash into the sky, posing a threat to aircraft.
(With Inputs From Agency)
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