Mauna Loa, located on the island of Hawaii, is the largest active volcano on our planet. It covers approximately half of the island of Hawaii, and has an elevation of over 4,000 feet above sea level. The name "Mauna Loa" in Hawaiian means "Long Mountain," and this shield volcano has been active for an estimated 700,000 years. Volcanoes are prone to eruption at any time, but the last documented eruption for Mauna Loa was in 1984. The oldest recorded eruption of Mauna Loa was in 1780. This enormous volcano has erupted thirty-nine times since 1832, causing all sorts of mayhem.
In most volcanic eruptions, several earthquakes generally hit an area before an eruption occurs. Mauna Loa is not different from other volcanoes in this respect. Thousands of earthquakes hit the island of Hawaii each year. The quakes cause the ground on Mauna Loa to fissure, and magma pours through to the earth's surface. The lava pouring from Mauna Loa causes damage to land and properties in the immediate area of the lava flow. The eruptions also cause the death of many animals in the surrounding areas.
As a result of the volcanic earthquakes caused by Mauna Loa, sometimes tsunamis are generated. These are a series of very large waves caused by the disturbance from the volcanic earthquakes on the ocean floor. These tsunamis can cause massive destruction of property along the shores and sometimes cause fatalities in the shoreline area.
Volcanic eruptions of Mauna Loa can also cause the area to be covered in volcanic smog or "vog." Vog, in turn, can cause many respiratory problems for individuals in the surrounding area. Acid rain is another byproduct of volcanic eruptions. Many crops have been damaged by acid rain caused by the eruptions of Mauna Loa, which also cause various metals to corrode.
Volcanic ash is also caused by eruptions from Mauna Loa. Although the volcanic ash can be very harmful to individual, causing respiratory problems, it is actually very beneficial to the land. Volcanic ash provides a richness for the surrounding soils, allowing vegetation to grow rapidly after a volcanic eruption. The area surrounding Mauna Loa has very rich soil and healthy vegetation.
With over thirty-nine eruptions since 1832, the mass of the island of Hawaii has grown considerably over the years. Mauna Loa's continual eruptions have caused tremendous growth in the height and in the width of the island's surface over the last 200,000 years. The island of Hawaii is the youngest and the largest in the chain of Hawaiian islands, thanks to Mauna Loa.
