Speaker 1 (00:00):
Overnight, the Coast Guard releasing new video as it monitors the eruption of Hawaii’s Mauna Loa.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
You can clearly see that that’s lava coming down Mauna Loa. It is nuts.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
The world’s largest active volcano roaring back to life after its longest dormant period on record. Thermal cameras showing the moment it erupted, spewing volcanic gas and sending lava gushing out from the crater. Mauna Loa makes up most of the big island of Hawaii and 50 miles down from its summit, it connects with Hawaii’s other main volcano, Kilauea. The eruption of Kilauea in 2018 destroyed about 700 homes. Our Matt Gutman was there.
Matt Gutman (00:38):
What you’re seeing over there, and those roars are steam and gas flying out of these vents. That stuff is 2000 degrees.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Lava streams are flowing down part of Mauna Loa, but authorities say they’re contained to the summit area, and are not threatening communities directly. Still, authorities are playing it safe. The National Guard is on standby. Shelters are being opened, and Southwest Airlines has canceled several flights.
Talmadge Magno (01:02):
We were way overdue for Mauna Loa eruption and so we had prepared.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
There’s no way to tell how long the volcano will erupt. The governor is warning residents to be prepared for lava flow in the near future.
David Ige (01:15):
We’ve asked all of our residents to review the volcano preparedness plans, and it will definitely be a week before it would be moving into any populated areas.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
In the meantime, falling ash is a concern. People with respiratory illnesses have been warned to stay indoors. The lava flow is similar to the previous eruption in 1984, when lava got within five miles of a populated area.