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While we've all had our eyes on the current Kilauea's East Rift lava flow in Puna, things have not been all quiet on the Kona side... Mauna Loa used to erupt about every 5 years, until the 1984 Kilauea eruption began. Has it been too quiet over there for too long?
Hey, why should we have all the fun?
Quote:
Signs show Mauna Loa is stirring
An eruption is unlikely, but the volcano's recent quakes indicate an awakening
As Puna residents brace for the approaching lava flow from Kilauea Volcano, its larger sibling continues to show signs of awakening. Last month, Mauna Loa had the largest swarm of earthquakes in about a decade and continued to swell, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's September update.
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"It's certainly suggesting Mauna Loa is waking up, but it could be many months before it does anything, if at all," said Michael Garcia, a volcanologist at the University of Hawaii. "It may just do nothing as it did back in 2004 and 2005."
An eruption of the world's largest active volcano is also unlikely because of the current activity at Kilauea.
"When one volcano is very active, the other tends to be quiet," Garcia said. "They commonly go back and forth." The reason is swelling from activity at one volcano puts pressure on the other, inhibiting the rise of magma in the second volcano.
But both volcanoes have erupted at the same time, such as in 1919 and 1984, when lava advanced toward but never reached Hilo. "There are several examples of when both volcanoes erupt simultaneously, but it is uncommon," Garcia said. "I don't think there's any reason to be concerned at this point."
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Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843, or roughly once every five years, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
In 1950 lava reached the ocean on the Kona side of the island in less than four hours.
"In 1950 lava reached the ocean on the Kona side of the island in less than four hours."
So where is it they are building those gawdawful expensive places? Somehow nobody notices that they are building on lava flows that are still recent enough to still be black with nothing growing on them?
In four hours can they evacuate the entire area the lava would flow over?
"In 1950 lava reached the ocean on the Kona side of the island in less than four hours."
So where is it they are building those gawdawful expensive places? Somehow nobody notices that they are building on lava flows that are still recent enough to still be black with nothing growing on them?
According to the article I found on the front page of the New York Times for Saturday, June 3 1950, datelined June 2, Honolulu, the lava came down the slope in three streams, which partially destroyed the villages of Pahohoe and Alae and reached the sea. Fifteen homes, a church, a school, a post office and a filling station were reported destroyed, but no casualties were reported.
A third stream was headed directly towards Milolii, and cut off the road, but apparently didn't reach the village.
The Associated Press reported that this was the heaviest lava flow of the century, and the river of lava was 25 miles long and covered an area of 50 square miles.
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In four hours can they evacuate the entire area the lava would flow over?
All the Hawaiian Islands are volcanic in origin, and made of lava, but the Island of Hawai'i is the youngest* of them, and the only one that still has the hot kind of lava.
* So far. There is a volcanic seamount called Loihi forming underwater, about 20 miles southeast of the Big Island, which will eventually rise above the ocean as the newest island in the Hawaiian chain. So far it rises about 2 miles above the sea floor, and only has about another mile to go to break the surface. That should only take another thirty or forty thousand years.
Location: not sure, but there's a hell of a lot of water around here!
2,682 posts, read 7,575,502 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OpenD
While we've all had our eyes on the current Kilauea's East Rift lava flow in Puna, things have not been all quiet on the Kona side... Mauna Loa used to erupt about every 5 years, until the 1984 Kilauea eruption began. Has it been too quiet over there for too long?
Hey, why should we have all the fun?
Thought you didn't approve of attempting to spread panic via BS.
While we've all had our eyes on the current Kilauea's East Rift lava flow in Puna, things have not been all quiet on the Kona side... Mauna Loa used to erupt about every 5 years, until the 1984 Kilauea eruption began. Has it been too quiet over there for too long?
Hey, why should we have all the fun?
Some lava flows from Mauna Loa (e.g 1855, 1881, 1984) have been known to threaten Hilo instead of Kona… Mauna Loa Eruption History
Folks in Kona should probably worry about Hualālai instead, which is still "active" and somewhat "overdue" for an eruption… Hualalai Volcano, Hawai`i
Thought you didn't approve of attempting to spread panic via BS.
I don't, and I thought this was fairly well measured reporting, not BS:
Quote:
"It's certainly suggesting Mauna Loa is waking up, but it could be many months before it does anything, if at all," said Michael Garcia, a volcanologist at the University of Hawaii. "It may just do nothing as it did back in 2004 and 2005."
An eruption of the world's largest active volcano is also unlikely because of the current activity at Kilauea.
"When one volcano is very active, the other tends to be quiet," Garcia said. "They commonly go back and forth." The reason is swelling from activity at one volcano puts pressure on the other, inhibiting the rise of magma in the second volcano.
My serious point, with tongue in cheek, is to be informed, but not to panic. Panic does no good whatsoever.
It's been 30 years since the last eruption of Mauna Loa in 1984, which abruptly stopped when the continuous-since-then Kilauea eruption began, but it's almost a certainty that at some point Mauna Loa will begin erupting again. I think most folks today on the Big Island are fairly blase about that risk, while some may be completely unaware of the realities of the situation. The Kiluaea Caldera is at 4,000' altitude, and you can drive right up to it, so it's familiar to most residents; while the Mauna Lea Caldera is at 13,500' and not too many people hike up to it, so, I think it's out of sight, out of mind for the most part.
Besides reporting regularly (Monday, Wednesday and Friday at present}, on the status of the Kilauea eruption, and the daily SO2 reports, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory HVO also reports periodically on the status of Mauna Loa, and those can be found here...
In their June 12 edition of Volcano Watch, HVO published this report, with maps of the earthquake clusters:
Quote:
Mauna Loa—A Stirring Giant?
After a 30-year repose, Mauna Loa may be slowly stirring to life. While there are no signs of impending eruption, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has recorded an increased level of seismic activity on the flanks and summit of Mauna Loa over the past 13 months.
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The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor Mauna Loa for signs of an impending eruption. The likelihood of detecting a short-term change in activity that would lead to a successful eruption forecast is enhanced with a quality geophysical network that can monitor changes in earthquake occurrence, ground deformation and gas chemistry both in the summit and rift zones of Mauna Loa.
So, the monitoring and detection network is greatly improved since the 1984 eruption, and early warning of anything major happening is pretty well assured. Staying informed is important, and being prepared for quick evacuation in the event of emergency situations is prudent, both of which help to reduce panic. So...
So, my three BEs replace BS: Be Informed. Be Prepared: Be Calm.
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