According to authorities, nearby volcano Kilauea is displaying more activity following a brief lull shortly after Hawaii’s Mauna Loa exploded for the first time.
As a result of Mauna Loa’s lava outburst and consequent slowing, Kilauea ceased spewing for the very first time.
Early Thursday morning, officials reported greater quake action below its peak and ground displacement.
On Thursday, the Hawaiian Volcano Center and the United States Geological Survey reported that the Kilauea volcano was erupting.
At Volcanoes National Park, a glow was seen in nearby camera footage, “showing that eruption has begun inside Halemaumau crater in Kilauea’s top caldera,” according to the authorities.
On Thursday, authorities changed the aircraft color code for Kilauea from orange to red and raised the alert status for the volcano to an “alert” state until lowering it once more on Friday.
According to the Friday report, the Hawaiian Volcano Center has lowered Kilauea’s volcano alert from Caution to Monitor because high initial effusion rates are decreasing, and no structure is in danger.
Aircraft Was Returned To Orange
In the report, the color code for aircraft was returned to orange on Friday due to “no immediate threat of major volcanic ash emissions into the sky beyond the hazardous closed space within Hawai’i Volcanoes Nature Reserve.”
By a status update from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, because the eruption is taking place inside a confined area of the national park, “high amounts of incandescent gas are the principal hazard of interest, as this hazard can now have much impacts down-wind.”
Additionally, it cautions locals to avoid volcanic ash that may drift some distance from the eruption.
The Park Service has warned in an air quality advisory that has been issued on its site that unhealthy amounts of volcanic emissions may develop.
It provides tables with normal air quality assessments for people with respiratory issues. Through Friday morning, most “excellent” air quality tests were obtained.
What The Report Said?
According to the status report, there may be a “small hazard” for visitors to the national park.
Visitors to Hawai’i Volcanoes Nature Reserve should know that a coating of powdery to grit-like ash made up of molten glass and rock pieces is possible when there is a south (non-trade) wind.
The Hawaii Emergency Preparedness Agency posted on social media that the eruption is now contained to the caldera and does not represent a threat to residents.
Among the most catastrophic eruptions in modern Hawaii history, Kilauea’s forced the evacuation of nearby neighborhoods and destroyed dozens of homes.
