Ke Kalahea

Ke Kalahea - University of Hawaii at Hilo Student-Run Newspaper

Mighty Mauna Loa

by Lichen Forster | Editor-in-Chief

(Subtitle) To cap Thanksgiving weekend, the world’s largest volcano broke a decades long fast.

Shortly before midnight on Sunday, Nov. 27, Mauna Loa began erupting for the first time in 38 years.

It started in the summit caldera, Mokuaweoweo. By morning, social media was ablaze with photos of the red glow, shared from all over the island.

View of the 2022 Mauna Loa flow as it snakes towards Saddle Road. By Teagan MaherView of the 2022 Mauna Loa flow as it snakes towards Saddle Road. By Teagan Maher Fun Facts

  • Mauna Loa is the world’s largest active volcano
  • Mauna Loa covers half of Hawaiʻi Island
  • Mauna Loa is so big it depresses the ocean floor eight kilometers

In just a few hours, the eruption had moved to the Northeast Rift Zone. Over its three week lifespan, the flow made its way towards Daniel K. Inouye Highway (commonly known as Saddle Road.) “Old Saddle Road,” a 4.5 mile route just off the highway, was opened for people to view the flow safely, after parking and walking on Saddle Road itself was deemed dangerous by county officials.

Saddle Road is the fastest route between Hilo and Kailua-Kona. According to Honolulu Civil Beat, thousands traverse the highway daily. If forced to take other routes (Highway 11 and 19), people feared that the whole island would be inconvenienced, not just Saddle Road’s daily trekkers.

On Dec. 8, HVO announced that the flow had stalled, halting the threat to the highway with just 1.7 miles to go. On Dec. 13, they said that the eruption had stopped entirely.

The 1984 eruption of Mauna Loa, which lasted mere weeks, stopped just short of encroaching on Hilo. It was the seventh time in recorded history that a Mauna Loa flow threatened the city. How long it would take a Mauna Loa flow to reach these areas according to the topography and history of the places. Map by USGS.How long it would take a Mauna Loa flow to reach these areas according to the topography and history of the places. Map by USGS.

One such instance was in 1881, when Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani traveled from the royal residence on Oʻahu to Hawaiʻi Island. A Mauna Loa flow had been traveling toward Hilo for months, and at that point it was just north of where UH Hilo’s campus is today. Keʻelikōlani stood at the foot of the flow. She performed oli (chants), gave hoʻokupu (offerings), and reportedly slept near the lava overnight. The lava stopped, and Keʻelikōlani was thanked for convincing Pele (the volcano goddess) to spare Hilo.