Page 166 - Eruption News Today

Usgs and state officials warn the lava flow, while slowed in recent days, is inching closer to cutting off this highway. its within three miles now. the other worry, not on the ground but up in the air. what looked like plumes of smoke experts say are acid gases. officials monitoring the levels warning it could become toxic for residents and visitors of the big island. mauna loa is the second of the big islands five volcanos currently erupted. kilauea still rumbling after destroying more than 60...

Visitors and hopings to see the awe-inspiring glow of lava. scientists dont know how long the eruption will lost. volcanic smog is a concern here, caused by the gases emitted from the volcano that can potentially be harmful. officials are currently monitoring air quality levels. and while the highway could eventually be in the path, no evacuation orders needed to be issued and no homes currently threatened, a relief to hawaiis mayor who had concerns when the volcano began erupting. >> there was ...

Offering, you know, you come with respect. >> reporter: but many hawaiians see the potential path of destruction as simultaneous creation surfacing from this, the worlds largest active volcano. boris and amara, officials say with the eruption continuing at the current pace they believe that they could give folks up to two days notice should the lava make its way into that major highway, ultimately cutting it off. they warn when it comes to the flow of lava, there is no forecasting. >> just spect...

Three miles away from the major east-west highway that connects hilo to kona. now, mauna loa began erupted sunday the first time since 1984. since then lava has been spewing from fissures in the volcano. scientists dont know how long it will last. vog or volcanic smog is a concern and theyre looking at the levels. theyre seeing the awe-inspiring glow of the lava. for the native hawaiian people, the eruption is deeply spiritual and people have come to mauna loa to meditate, pray and leave offerin...

About an offering for the volcano. is there an emotional pull to this? what does it mean? >> i am a resident of hawaii, im not a hawaiian. only native hawaiians can refer to themselves as hawaiian. the volcanic eruption, there are cultural aspects to what is happening. there is a sensitivity to the culture issues involved with volcanic eruptions. >> when you look at the beauty of this, senator, it just reminds me and im sure people around the world what a special place hawaii is.

December 19th to do more maintenance work on the iss. back here on earth in in the worlds biggest active volcano, monothat low what, began erupting several days ago. the flow has slowed, but concerns are rising the lava could soon hit roads and homes. fox weather correspondent max gourden has the details. >> reporter: the weather has moved in and clouds now shroud mauna loa, but underneath the cloud cover, lava continues to creep along. the usgs says the lava is now moving at only 40 feet per ...

Of lava as long as theres magna supply going out up through to the surface. >> this is dumb but why is it shifting? >> well, it is really not something we can explain perfectly. i wish i had an easy answer for you. volcanology is a fairly young science. weve made observations for millenia but using the new technology and instrumentation has only been going on for about the last 40 years. right now we can tell where the magna is moving to but dont necessarily know why it is moving. >> is the volc...

These forces of nature operate on geologic time so talking millions of years whereas our life times are a hundred if were lucky. so were just seeing the normal process the volcano goes through as part of the life cycle and we all get to benefit because of how stunning these images are. >> how many openings are there around -- it looks like multiple ones and then streams between them. >> right. so theres numerous fissures that opened up. the most active, three and four. theyre trying to keep the ...

>> is the volcano posing a threat, we were told is not really posing a threat to people right now? >> yeah, thats actually what makes this such a fun eruption to talk about for geo scientists. we love when we can sit here and marvel at earths abilities to create and destroy, at the same time. and not stress about, oh my gosh someones life is in danger. so, this is kind of an ideal for us. >> theres two volcanoes erupting in alaska right now as well. are they related irruptions, whats happening? ...

Chief among the differences between todays eruption at Mauna Loa compared to the previous one -- technological advances, University of Hawaii geologist Scott Rowland pointed out.