Crowds expected to flood Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park as Mauna Loa erupts
Now that the world’s largest active volcano erupted for the first time since 1984, officials expect crowds to flood to Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park in hopes of witnessing the historic event.
Those who venture there may be hoping to catch a “rare dual eruption from both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes,” the National Park Service said in a news release.
People have already been posting photos of the eerie glow emitting from Mauna Loa caldera at sunrise, and a smaller lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea was also visible from viewing areas along Kīlauea caldera, the agency said in the release.
Although neither eruption is threatening homes or infrastructure, Volcanoes National Park closed traffic to Mauna Loa Road from the gate at Kīpukapuaulu for everyone’s safety. Mauna Loa’s summit, cabins and high-elevation areas have already been closed since early October, when the volcano started showing “signs of unrest and increased seismicity,” officials said.
Mauna Loa Observatory Road, which is outside of the park, is also closed to the public.
Kīlauea has been erupting since Sept. 29, 2021, and the lava has been confined to the summit lava lake, officials said in the release.
“Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is keeping close watch on Mauna Loa in tandem with our colleagues at USGS and Hawai’i County Civil Defense,” said the park’s superintendent Rhona Loh. “The park is currently open, but visitors should be prepared and stay informed.”
Officials urged visitors to check the park website before visiting for “closure updates, safety alerts, air quality” and links to the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcams and eruption updates. They also warned of ash, gas, vog, and Pele’s Hair that could be carried downwind of the volcano.
There’s also a temporary flight restriction across a 5 nautical mile radius around Mauna Loa summit and up to 5,000 feet above ground level, put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration. Only approved emergency response flights are excepted from the restriction.
This story was originally published November 28, 2022 at 7:44 PM with the headline "Crowds expected to flood Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park as Mauna Loa erupts."
