Earthquake Shakes World's Largest Active Volcano: Could the Seismic Event Trigger Tsunamis and Volcanic Eruption?

On the Big Island of Hawaii, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake hit this afternoon, shaking the world's biggest active volcano, Mauna Loa. The quake, which hit at 4:32 p.m. HT / 10:32 p.m. ET at a depth of more than 20 miles, was upgraded from a magnitude 4.1 to a magnitude 4.5 by the USGS. The quake, which was the biggest in the area in over a month and one of the strongest in the previous 12 months, was felt throughout the Big Island.

No Tsunami

While the earthquake was powerful enough to be felt over the whole island of Hawaii, it was not powerful enough to cause a tsunami. However, the earthquake was significant enough for the National Weather Service's Tsunami Warning Center to issue a statement recognizing the event but dismissing the possibility of a tsunami. "There will be no tsunami. Repeat. There will be no tsunami. The report stated that "some locations may have experienced shaking." "Unless more data is obtained, this will be the sole statement provided for this event."

Epicenter and Seismic Activities

The epicenter of today's earthquake was in Pahala, on Hawaii Island's southeast coast. Magma that feeds the Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes are thought to move deep beneath the seismically active town, according to scientists.

While neither Mauna Loa nor Kilauea erupts, the USGS warns that an eruption at the massive volcano is inevitable.

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World's Largest Active Volcano

With a height of 13,681 feet above sea level, Mauna Loa is the world's biggest active volcano. Mauna Loa rises from the Central Pacific's ocean floor at a depth of roughly 3 miles. However, the ocean bottom just under Mauna Loa is lowered by additional 5 miles due to the volcano's massive bulk. According to the USGS, Mauna Loa's peak is roughly 56,000 feet above its base; the massive volcano occupies half of the island of Hawaii, commonly known as the "Big Island of Hawaii."

Possible Eruption

While an eruption of Mauna Loa is not imminent, now is the time to reassess personal eruption preparations, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) experts with the USGS. Having an eruption strategy in place ahead of time is similar to planning for hurricane season."

Mauna Loa eruptions create large, fast-moving lava flows that affect towns on the Big Island's east and west flanks, from Kona to Hilo. Seven Mauna Loa lava flows have threatened Hilo in eastern Hawaii since the 1850s. In addition, Mauna Loa lava flows have reached the coast on the island's south and west flanks eight times.

According to the USGS, while Mauna Loa is not currently erupting, rates of deformation and seismicity remain high beyond long-term background levels. Slow, long-term summit inflation, compatible with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system, has been seen by GPS data. The modest uptick in the inflation rate that began in January has continued.

The USGS advises people in Hawaii to create a personal reaction plan, pack a "go bag," and identify what they would do in the case of an eruption at different times of the day or week since another eruption on Mauna Loa is unavoidable.

While scientists are confident that Mauna Loa will erupt again, they are unsure when or where the lava will flow. Puako and Waikoloa Beach on the northwest coast, Kailua-Kona and Captain Cook on the west coast, Milolii and Ocean View on the southwest coast, and Hilo on the east coast have all been devastated by previous floods. The USGS is urging residents all around the island to prepare for the likelihood of volcanic activity, citing the wide variety of consequences seen in previous eruptions. For example, there might be toxic volcanic gasses and a volcanic haze known as vog, as well as fallout of volcanic debris such as ash or volcanic glass, in addition to the dangers of fast-moving lava flows.

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