The volcano’s alert level has been lowered while no evacuation orders have yet been issued and populated areas are unlikely to be affected at this stage, emergency officials say. Mauna Loa, located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, covers half of the US state’s big island. The volcano rises 4,169m above sea level and covers an area of ​​5,179 square km.
The eruption of this volcano, according to experts, came after a series of earthquakes that shook the region in recent days. Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843. The previous eruption in 1984 sent lava flows into the island’s most populous city of Hilo.
The Big Island’s population has more than doubled since 1980 to about 200,000, and Hawaii’s civil defense agency has warned residents they could face a disaster.
