Hawaii is experiencing a rare dual eruption of volcanoes, as both Mauna Loa and Kīlauea spewed lava on the archipelago’s Big Island Tuesday.
Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, began erupting Sunday for the first time in nearly four decades, and nearby Kilauea has been erupting for the past year.
Both are in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and their respective lava was flowing down Mauna Lao at the same time Tuesday.
The rare site is “expected to draw an influx of visitors… who hope to see a rare dual eruption from both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes” the national park said in a Facebook post.
Neither eruption is posing a threat to people’s homes, but the volcanoes could significantly affect air quality, the park said.
The two volcanoes are 21 miles apart. They previously erupted at the same time in 1984 — when Mauna Loa last erupted.
Lava shot 200 feet in the air from Mauna Loa on Monday, and one of the three fissures emitting lava was still spewing on Tuesday, according to officials.
Kīlauea has been erupting since last September, but has posed no risk to the public. The lava is contained within its crater, the U.S. Geological Survey has said.
“While an eruption is an exciting experience, keep in mind you are observing a sacred event,” the National Park service said in a statement. “Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcano are wahi kapu (sacred landscapes) surrounded with storied places. Your visit can be more meaningful by learning about the deep connections between Native Hawaiian culture and this landscape.”
