The eruption of Mauna Loa, the world's biggest active volcano, is being captured on webcams set up by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The volcano, which rises 13,000 feet above sea level, started erupting for the first time in nearly 40 years at approximately 11:30 p.m. on November 27, according to an update from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The webcam set up by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, situated on the north rim of Mokuʻāweoweo, caught images of the volcano in the hours leading up to the eruption. You can watch the eruption unfold by visiting the USGS webcam page here.
The eruption has so far been contained within the summit caldera, and officials are keeping a close eye on how it progresses.
In pictures captured by the webcam, the volcano can be seen emitting steam on November 27. As the day went on, more and more steam was captured spewing out of the summit. The summit caldera of Mauna Loa was ablaze with lava by at 1:16 a.m. on November 28.
"If you look carefully around early morning or late evening, you may see a few thermal areas emitting steam," the USGS said on the webcam page.
Thermal cameras are also set up at the summit, recording heat rather than light. This allows officials to get better views of the eruption through the volcanic gas.
Thermal webcam images can be seen here.
The thermal images show temperatures on a scale of up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit. Throughout November 27, temperatures at the summit gradually increased.
Residents are being warned by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to remain indoors as a quarter-inch of ash is expected to fall from the volcano.
Mauna Loa volcano last erupted quite suddenly between March 25 and April 15. There were no recorded deaths in that eruption, but lava flow blocked roads and caused damage to power lines.
Mauna Loa eruptions aren't as dangerous as those at other Hawaiian volcanoes such as Kilauea, as they don't tend to be as explosive. But based on past events, the early stages of a Mauna Loa eruption can be "very dynamic" and the advance of lava flows can change rapidly, the USGS said in an update.
Leading up to this eruption, Mauna Loa had been displaying signs of signs of heightened unrest since September 2022. Residents living near to the volcano previously told Newsweek that they were concerned.
Volcanologist and Earth scientist at the University of Hull, Rebecca Williams previously told Newsweek: "There had been an increase in earthquakes recorded, and an increase in inflation (ground swelling). This indicated movement of magma beneath the surface, but quite deep. There wasn't any change in the gases being released, or significant tilting of the ground that suggested the magma was making its way to the surface."
"This unrest meant that the volcano was being very closely watched. But, an eruption was not certain. Sometimes these periods of unrest settle down and nothing happens. Sometimes, as in this case, an eruption happens!"
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Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
