Officials reduced the alert level for Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano from a warning to a watch on Saturday, predicting that the world’s largest active volcano’s eruption will finish shortly.
“High eruption rates will not resume based on past eruptive behaviour and current behaviour suggests that the eruption may end soon,” the US Geological Survey said in a bulletin issued Saturday.
According to the most recent update, the new warning level reflects”the limited hazards associated with the current activity,”
The update also states that the volcano’s lava output and gas emissions have been “greatly reduced,” and that a lava flow 1.9 kilometres from the Daniel K. Inouye Highway, also known as Saddle Road, “is no longer a threat.”
Officials warned this month that lava flows were heading toward the highway, which connects the east and west sides of the Big Island and serves as a conduit between Hilo and Kona, raising concerns among residents who claimed a road closure would make commuting across the island difficult.
The Hawaii Volcano Observatory will continue to watch the volcano “for any indication of changes to activity,” according to the US Geological Survey.
According to the USGS, Mauna Loa, which means “Long Mountain,” encompasses half of the island.
Its first eruption since 1984 occurred on November 27, prompting officials to urge inhabitants to remain vigilant. Because it occurred immediately before Hawaiian Independence Day, the eruption held cultural and political significance for many Native Hawaiians.
Geologists had recorded 33 eruptions since 1843, making Mauna Loa one of the world’s most active volcanoes. According to the government, it is one of six volcanoes in Hawaii.
