Hawaii: As Mauna Loa Erupts, People Suggest Ways To Stop Lava Flow; Here's What Experts Say

With the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawaii's Big Island still erupting, local authorities and residents are monitoring the lava flow as it approaches a key highway and preparing for the risk that it would block off the passage and disrupt everyday life.

The US Geological Survey said that as of Wednesday morning, lava from Mauna Loa was located 3.6 miles from Saddle Road, also known as the Daniel K. Inouye Highway. The main road links the island's east and west sides.

The Hawaii governor has given the all-clear to tourists despite lava creeping toward a major thoroughfare on the Big Island.

According to CNN, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Communication Director Adam Weintraub noted that county officials and the state Department of transportation have been formulating a plan "to shut down the Daniel K. Inouye Highway if the lava moves close enough to the road to pose a hazard." He added that the plans could be modified depending on the movement of lava in the Mauna Loa Eruption.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people stopped their vehicles on the major route close to Volcanoes National Park to watch the eruptions, as per AP News.

Man vs. Lava

With the ongoing Mauna Loa Eruption, many are once again wondering about possible measures to halt or redirect the flow of lava.

Scott Rowland, a geologist at the University of Hawaii said that such discussion arises whenever there's an eruption and lava is flowing toward populated areas or roads, with some suggestions to "Build a wall" or "Board up."

But even with today's technology, halting the flow of lava would require tremendous effort, which also depends on the landscape.

Throughout Hawaii's history, there were attempts to divert lava flow. Per an AP News story, among them happened in 1935. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas A. Jaggar requested that the US Army Air Services bomb a Mauna Loa vent to divert lava flows.

According to the National Park Service's version of the battle, Lt. Col. George S. Patton ordered the dropping of 20 600-pound (272-kilogram) demolition bombs. Each bomb had 161 kilograms (355 pounds) of TNT. Twenty smaller bombs loaded with black powder were also dropped from the jets.

The blast, according to Jagger, helped to speed up the end of the lava flow. However, geologists now do not believe that the bombing halted the lava movement, which continued after the explosion, according to the park service. But the flow diminished eventually.

The director of civil defense for Hawaii County, Talmadge Magno, said on Wednesday that the county has no plans to attempt to redirect the flow, despite having had some conversations about doing so.

The current governor of Hawaii, David Ige, was in office during the 2018 Kilauea eruption, and he recently told reporters that the experience taught him that humans can't win the battle against Mother Nature in the Mauna Loa Eruption.

Humans and Volcanoes Are Connected in Nature

Kealoha Pisciotta, a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner, has argued that the concept of actively diverting lava is a Western one based on the belief that people need to control things. She remarked that it is not the movement of lava that should be changed to suit the desires of humans because nature and mankind are connected.

"We are a part of nature," she said.

Mauna Loa is the planet's biggest and most active volcano. Its name translates to "long mountain" in Hawaiian, as per information from BBC.

It's one of five volcanoes that make up the Big Island of Hawaii and has a total land area of 2,035 square miles (5,271 square kilometers). More than half of the island is made up of one single volcano.

Although Mauna Loa's base lies on the ocean's bottom, its peak is 13,680 feet (4,170 meters) above sea level. It is higher than Mount Everest at 30,085 feet (9,170 meters) from the base to the summit.