Captivating aerial footage captured close-up views of a jet of lava spewing up from Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano after it erupted late Sunday for the first time in decades.
Worsening matters, is that the momentous occasion - which has put the tens of thousands living Hawaii's Big Island on high alert - has been compounded by the fact that its sister volcano 20 miles away also erupted, something that has not transpired since Loa's last discharge in 1984.
Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, erupted for the first time in 38 years Sunday night, attracting scores of onlookers desperate to catch a glimpse of the event - while scaring off others all too aware of the risks.
The rare 'dual eruption' marked the end of Mauna Loa’s longest quiet period in history, and came four years after an eruption from the Kilauea volcano, located 20 miles east on Hawaii's big island, left 700 residences destroyed.
Areas in the immediate vicinity of both volcanoes have since been deemed by local officials to be at 'extreme risk' of encountering lava flows from the simultaneous eruptions - despite assurance provided by scientists Monday that the lava had deviated to an area where it does not pose a risk to communities.
Still, the uncertainty was unnerving for many who packed up and left their homes on the scenic isle, which is home to a handful of A-list stars such as Pierce Brosnan and Matthew McConaughey.
Loa's eruption nearly 40 years ago lasted more than two weeks - but did not flow into any of the island's communities. Officials said Monday that should be the case this time around as well, but warned to be wary of the lava and emissions left by the simultaneous disasters.
Captivating aerial footage captured close-up views of a jet of lava spewing up from Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano after it erupted late Sunday for the first time in decades
The momentous occasion - which has put Hawaii's Big Island on high alert of flowing lava and suffocating vocanic fog - was further compounded by the fact that its sister volcano situated 20 miles away also erupted, something that has not transpired since Loa's last eruption in 1984
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