Mauna Loa eruption
by Kristen Okinaka | Dec. 29, 2022
It’s hard to describe the phenomenon of two volcanoes erupting at the same time.
On Nov. 27, Mauna Loa erupted after the longest quiet period in recorded history. The largest active volcano on Earth covers just over half of Hawaii Island and last erupted in 1984. Kilauea had been erupting since 2021 and the eruption was confined within Halemaumau Crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The Mauna Loa eruption began in the summit caldera at about 11:30 p.m. In the days that followed, lava flows traveled down the remote northeast flank toward the Daniel K. Inouye Highway. Known to locals as Saddle Road, the highway runs between the Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea mountains and connects east and west Hawaii. A traffic pattern off the main highway was set up for safe viewing.
Thousands of cars lined the highway to experience the extraordinary eruption that gave the night sky a bright orange glow visible from miles away. Social media was filled with vivid photos and comments about Pele’s beauty and immense power. Spectators were awestruck, speechless, and overcome with emotion over nature’s splendor.
Volcanologists, government officials and emergency responders closely monitored the eruption, trying to predict where the flows might go. In the immediate path were critical infrastructure like the highway and electric utility lines. Populated areas like Hilo were farther downslope. Fortunately, the flow front stalled about 1.7 miles from the highway on Dec. 10. Mauna Loa was no longer erupting by Dec. 14.
This was Hawaii Island’s third eruption in eight years and each one was unique. In 2014, flows from Kilauea stopped on the outskirts of Pahoa. In 2018, fissures opened in the populated lower Puna district and destroyed hundreds of homes, buried subdivisions and highways, and severely damaged Hawaiian Electric’s infrastructure.
Eruptions are unpredictable and unstoppable.
Hawaiian Electric worked closely with the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) and other agencies to monitor, prepare and respond. Every organization has an important role during emergencies.
Hawaiian Electric activated its Incident Management Team — employees who are trained to respond to emergencies like natural disasters. To keep the lights on, we developed plans for different scenarios. Our plans evolved as the eruption and flow paths changed. The safety of our employees and the community was our top priority.
Federal, state and county government officials coordinated efforts to ensure public safety. Civil Defense and HVO partnered to communicate with residents and visitors through daily updates and virtual community meetings. This helped to keep the public safe and calm, and also encouraged everyone to be prepared and stay informed.
Hawaii Island is resilient. Over the years, we’ve learned how to adapt to unpredictability. We can quickly respond, repair and rebuild our communities when a natural disaster impacts our island. We find strength and comfort in each other — and that’s how we thrive.
For now, Mauna Loa and Kilauea are not erupting. HVO continues to monitor both volcanoes for changes. We’ll be ready to respond when, not if, they erupt again.
Kristen Okinaka is the senior communications specialist for Hawaiian Electric’s operations on Hawaii Island.
