Hawaii's Mauna Loa starts to erupt, sending ash nearby

Hawaiis Mauna Loa, the worlds largest active volcano, has started to erupt, prompting volcanic ash and debris to fall nearby, authorities said Monday.The eruption began late Sunday night in the summit caldera of the volcano on the Big Island, the US Geological Survey said.

Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, has started to erupt, prompting volcanic ash and debris to fall nearby, authorities said Monday.

The eruption began late Sunday night in the summit caldera of the volcano on the Big Island, the US Geological Survey said. Early Monday, it said lava flows were contained within the summit area and weren't threatening nearby communities.

The agency warned residents at risk from Mauna Loa lava flows should review their eruption preparations. Scientists had been on alert because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.

Mauna Loa, rising 13,679 feet (4,169 metres) above sea level, is the much larger neighbour to Kilauea volcano, which erupted in a residential neighbourhood and destroyed 700 homes in 2018. Some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea's so when it erupts, its lava can flow much faster.

During a 1950 eruption, the mountain's lava travelled 15 miles (24 kilometres) to the ocean in less than three hours.

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