What it’s like covering an erupting volcano Mauna Loa

The eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island captivated the nation and world.

The volcano erupted on Nov. 27. It is the first time the volcano has erupted since 1984. The eruptions stopped on Tuesday Dec. 13. 

Before the lava stopped flowing, a team of journalists from Spectrum News Hawaii made the trek to Mauna Loa.

A first hand account

We spoke to one journalist from the Spectrum News Hawaii team about visiting the island and covering the eruption up close.

Michelle Broder Van Dyke is a Digital Journalist with Spectrum News. She talked to me about her Mauna Loa assignment.

She left the island of Ohau on Monday, Dec. 5 with two other Spectrum journalists to head to the Big Island. It was about a 30 minute flight to the location.

The team then rented a car from Hilo to head to Mauna Loa. Broder Van Dyke said the journey to the volcano took twice as long as the flight (about an hour) because of other tourists or locals wanted to see the volcano.

“Daniel K. Inouye Highway was getting really backed up because of people were pulling over the highway to look at the lava,” she said.

Eventually, they found a safe spot 2 miles away from the lava flow at the base of Mauna Loa.

“You see, like in the distance, there were volcano gas plumes floating up into the air and a little bit of red of visible,” Broder Van Dyke told me.

She says it’s best to watch the lava flow at night since you can see it better and water the red glowing.

Besides the lava flow bringing amazement to the region, it also serves as a cultural connection to Native Hawaiians.

Speaking to Broder Van Dyke, she says during the lava flows, people have offerings know as hookupu to the Hawaiian fire goddess Pele.

“The Hawaiians traditionally… they still do this… clean their houses or clean areas where the lava is going to flow to prepare for her visit.”

Lava also has a cultural significance too.

Broder Van Dyke says the natives do not see lava as destructive but a time of renewal.

Overall, she said assignment was a cool and magical experience.

“You cannot beat seeing lava. [You] are seeing the Earth change literally in front of your eyes…. I’m never going to get over how awe aspiring it is.”

She happily told stories of the people who went go visit Mauna Loa and see it’s amazement.

To follow more coverage about Mauna Loa, check out Spectrum News Hawaii reporting.

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