Summit Of Massive Hawaii Volcano Mauna Loa Closed Due To ‘Unrest’

Science Summit Of Massive Hawaii Volcano Mauna Loa Closed Due To ‘Unrest’ Eric Mack Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I cover science and innovation and products and policies they create. Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories.

Got it! Oct 7, 2022, 06:47pm EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin A channel of fast-flowing lava moves through a cooled section of a lava flow. Hawaii. (Photo by © .

. . [+] CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) Corbis via Getty Images The summit of the world’s largest active volcano will no longer be receiving visitors for the time being due to “ heightened unrest ” — more specifically, dozens of daily earthquakes.

“As a precautionary measure, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is closing the Mauna Loa summit backcountry until further notice,” reads a notice posted Wednesday by the National Park Service. The closure comes the same week that the US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) opted to ramp up its monitoring of the enormous volcano,which makes up the majority of the Big Island of Hawaii and would be nearly twice as tall as Mount Everest if measured from its base on the sea floor. To be clear, Mauna Loa is not erupting at the moment, but seismic activity has increased over the past few weeks to nearly 50 small earthquakes per day.

The volcano last erupted in 1984 when earthquakes in the region became nearly constant, according to the USGS. “The earthquake rate rose to 2-3 events per minute, then tremors began (about) 30 minutes later. Within 2 hours, the volcano erupted.

” MORE FOR YOU Livestream Shopping Stays Hot As Whatnot Valuation More Than Doubles To $3. 7 Billion Willow’s ‘Coping Mechanism’ Album Is Here Why This AJ Foyt Racing Rebuild In IndyCar Might Actually Work The seismic tremors that would indicate an imminent eruption have not yet been observed. MORE FROM FORBES Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, The World’s Largest Volcano, Is Starting To Rumble By Eric Mack Mauna Loa had been dormant for nearly three decades before beginning to wake up in 2014.

Seismic activity and deformation of the surface then took a dip in 2017 before increasing again in 2019, really starting to pick up in early 2021 and again since Sept. 22. The USGS says that the current activity is being driven by the movement of magma that is still deep below the surface, perhaps two to five miles below the summit.

In the past, when Mauna Loa erupts, the eruption typically begins with fast-flowing lava from the summit that can reach the ocean and populated areas like the resort zone of Kailua-Kona in mere hours. Authorities recommend locals have a “go bag” ready in the event of an eruption and check for updates from the HVO and Hawaii County Civil Defense to stay safe. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn .

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