Mauna Loa is taller than Mount Everest and currently erupting.
On November 27, the world’s largest volcano began to erupt for the first time since 1984.The Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa continues. The fissure vent continues to erupt with a reduced supply of lava and reduced gas emissions on Dec. 9.Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on the planet. Meaning “long mountain” in Hawaiian, it is the quintessential shield volcano in its shape — signified by broad, rounded slopes.
The volcano makes up roughly 51% of the island of Hawaii and stands 13,681 feet above sea level. More impressive, however, it rises an astonishing 30,085 feet from the bottom of the sea, a greater height than Mount Everest. The ocean floor actually bends under the weight of this mammoth mountain. By itself, the land mass that Mauna Loa encompasses is almost equal to twice all of the other Hawaiian islands combined.
Eruptions of Mauna Loa have historically been characterized by high-volume flows that produce lava capable of traveling long distances, contributing to its shape. Scientists believe that 90% of the volcano’s surface has been covered with flows that erupted within the past 4,000 years.
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