Hello I am doing a school project on Mauna Loa. Could you please answer following questions:
  1. What are some of the physical causes of the disaster and an explanation of the human effects.
  2. I was all so wondering if the Mauna Loa will ever explode like Mt. St. Helens.
  3. How many Hawaii Islands were formed by volcanoes.

Thank you for your help.

rocky Marcia Billiaert

Dear Marcia,

  1. I'm not sure which disaster you are referring to. Effects from future eruptions at Mauna Loa would be similar to the current eruption of Kilauea but probably on a larger scale and perhaps with less warning (for example, a vent could form in a housing subdivision).
  2. Hawaiian volcanoes do explode violently and Mauna Loa has exploded in the past to produced wide-spread ash layers. The style of eruption is somewhat different from Mount St. Helens.
  3. The all of the islands of Hawaii are a volcanic in origin. Their origin is described in background information on hot spots.

Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota 

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