Lava From the Mauna Loa Volcano Could Sever a Major Highway on Hawaii’s Big Island

A lava circulation is heading towards one of the necessary highways in Hawaii, and there’s not a lot anybody can do to cease it. In line with america Geological Survey (USGS), Mauna Loa, one of many 5 volcanoes that type Hawaii’s “Huge Island,” started erupting at roughly 11:30 p.m. on November twenty seventh. Mauna Loa, the world’s largest lively volcano, began spouting fountains of lava near 150 ft excessive. Because the eruption continued, it turned evident that the circulation of lava was endangering the Daniel Okay. Inouye Freeway. And it’s not like you’ll be able to simply redirect sizzling lava.

A standing report revealed on Sunday by the USGS acknowledged that the lava circulation entrance was 2.25 miles from the Daniel Okay. Inouye Freeway. This highway is the one inland connection between the Huge Island’s two most populated areas, Hilo on the east coast and Kailua-Kona on the west coast. The report additionally acknowledged that the circulation was advancing at a median velocity of 40 ft per hour (0.0076 miles per hour), slowing from a peak of 0.025 miles per hour reported on Thursday. However the USGS identified that the circulation’s velocity and course may very well be extremely variable, making it troublesome to foretell when, or if, the new laval will attain the roadway.

There isn’t a lot that would realistically be completed to cease the lava circulation. Any potential measure to divert the circulation can be prohibitively costly and unlikely to succeed. In 1935, the U.S. Military Air Corps bombed a Mauna Loa lava circulation in an effort to redirect it, which did exactly nothing. In 2001, 30 bulldozers constructed earth and stone dikes to divert a Mount Etna lava circulation in Sicily, Italy, which proved way more profitable than bombing lava however was certainly not a assured success.

The Hawaii Division of Transportation (HDOT) hasn’t but closed the Inouye Freeway, however has revealed preliminary plans to take action. The present HDOT plan would shut the roadway between mileposts 8.8 and 28. Individuals driving from one aspect of the island to the opposite must use the island’s coastal highways, Highways 11 and 19. If the plan is put into motion, residents would solely get 6 hours’ discover earlier than the detours have been put in place.