Four craters have now opened in this huge mountain, which erupted on Sunday for the first time in the last 40 years.

Huge clouds of steam and smoke were seen flying in the sky from this volcano spread over almost half of the huge Hawaiian island. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said in an update released Monday, “The highest fountain of lava may have been estimated at 100-200 feet, but most fountains were less than this … A cloud is emerging, blowing mainly to the north-west…”

Another incredible post of the Mauna Loa Eruption by our friend Andrew Richard Hara, follow him on IG @andrewrichardhara

follow @USGSVolcanoes for the most up to date information & @CivilDefenseHI@Hawaii_EMA if you are a #Hawaii resident making preparations.#HawaiiScience#maunaloapic.twitter.com/LAAsvL6ye9

— HawaiiScienceMuseum (@HawaiiScience) October 29, 2022

According to geologists, at present there is no danger to the people or their property living under the volcano. USGS reported on Tuesday, “The longest and highest lava flow is currently coming out of the third fissure…”

“This lava stream overtook the Mauna Loa Weather Observatory Road … and the mouth of the stream was located about six miles (10 kilometers) from the Saddle Road (the main road at the foot of the northern flank) …” According to the agency, the fountain of lava erupted from the latest crack was 33 feet high.

According to USGS, everything is currently confined to the Northeast Rift Zone, but USGS cautions that Mauna Loa is a dynamic volcano, so it “may open additional cracks along the Northeast Rift Zone as well as below existing ones, And the lava stream may continue to flow down…”

USGS said the pressure at Mauna Loa had been building for years, and that the eruption could be seen 45 miles (72 km) away in the west coast town of Kona.

This lava does not currently pose any threat to the population, but scientists say that the winds can carry volcanic gas and fine ash downstream.

Officials in Hawaii have not issued any evacuation orders, although mountaintop areas and several roads have been closed, and two shelters have been opened as a precaution.

In terms of size, Mauna Loa (literally meaning ‘long mountain’) is the largest volcano on Earth, larger than the rest of the Hawaiian Islands combined. Mauna Loa, one of six active volcanoes on the island of Hawaii, has erupted 33 times since 1843. It last erupted in 1984, and lasted for 22 days. Kilauea, a volcano on the southeast flank of Mauna Loa, erupted almost continuously between 1983 and 2019, and there has also been a moderate eruption for several months.