Witness: The largest volcano in the world erupts after 40 years and horror in the Hawaiian Islands

Weather of Arabia - The US Geological Survey stated that the "Mauna Loa" volcano, the largest volcano in the world, erupted Monday morning, US Eastern time, for the first time in nearly 4 decades.

According to the authority, the eruption began at the top of the "caldera" inside the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where the warning level was raised for the volcano, which erupted for the first time since 1984.

Local officials confirmed that at this time the lava flows are contained within the summit area without threatening the surrounding areas, but the winds may carry volcanic gases and ash.

Therefore, residents are advised to prepare and refer to the County of Hawaii Civil Defense information, for further guidance.

Officials also urged people with sensitive respiratory tracts to take extra precautions to reduce exposure to the gases, as falling volcanic ash can disable engines or electronic devices.

This short video shows thermal camera footage of the onset of the #MaunaLoa eruption from the volcano's summit. The temperature in degrees C is shown by the colored scale bar on the right. For additional information visit: https://t.co/rfwkMVSJKM #MaunaLoaErupts pic.twitter.com/PhHXbq9nNa

— USGS Volcanoes (@USGSVolcanoes) November 28, 2022

The USGS warned that based on past events, the early stages of the Mauna Loa eruption could be very dynamic and the location and evolution of the lava flows could change rapidly.

The authority indicated that if the volcano continues to erupt and the volcanic vents move outside its walls, lava flows may move quickly downward.

USGS cameras at the summit clearly showed a long fissure that erupted from lava, which was spreading along the caldera.

This comes after weeks of warnings from officials that an eruption was possible given the recent surge in earthquakes at the summit of the volcano.

No evacuations have yet been issued, but the County of Hawaii has equipped gyms and auditoriums at the old airport as shelters, after reports that residents were evacuating from the southern coastal area of Kona.

The emergency department said it was unable to conduct any flights in the area, as it is dark and helicopters are not allowed to fly.

But the chief scientist at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, Ken Hoon, said there are some images that have been submitted from Kona that indicate that the southern end of the caldera has overflowed, sending some lava flows within a few kilometers of the caldera.

The USGS said it is working closely with its emergency management partners and will conduct an aerial survey as soon as possible to obtain more information regarding the explosion and potential hazards, however, those surveys may be hampered by weather conditions.

#MaunaLoa is erupting from vents on the Northeast Rift zone. Flows are moving downslope to the north. USGS Photos from Civil Air Patrol fight. #MaunaLoaErupts @Volcanoes_NPS @Hawaii_EMA @CivilDefenseHI pic.twitter.com/kUYWYPdk4L

— USGS Volcanoes (@USGSVolcanoes) November 28, 2022

Source: Sky News