Mauna Loa Eruptions

Mauna Loa—the largest active volcano on earth. At first glance, the broad, sloping edges and gentle lava flows may seem unimpressive, but the recent eruptions of this gentle giant hold far more importance and beauty. The recent eruptions, the first in 38 years, began on November 27th and continued until mid-December. This has produced a multitude of beautiful and surprisingly non-destructive lava flows due to the low viscosity (thickness/consistency) of the lava. Due to the slower-moving and gentler lava flows, nearby civilians have ample time to move out of danger, leading the vast majority of the volcano’s destruction to affect vegetation and artificial structures. This can be traced to the natural attributes of shield volcanoes—a broad classification of volcanoes that Mauna Loa belongs to—which include the characteristic broad appearance, gentle lava flows, and unappreciated beauty.