Lava spewing from the world’s largest active volcano in Hawaii painted the sky a haunting red Monday night — as it sent ash thousands of feet into the air.
Mauna Loa on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted Sunday for the first time in nearly four decades.
The rare eruption did not cause any evacuations or injuries, but did send ash up to 45,000 feet in the air affecting air travel, according to the Honolulu National Weather Service.
The NWS warned residents about “ashfall,” saying that winds could carry the ash along with volcanic gas and glass fibers downwind.
The volcano is 13,678 feet above sea level on Hawaii’s southernmost island, and the heat it emitted could be seen from space, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite images.
The eruption started at 11:30 p.m. Hawaii time on Sunday and prompted Southwest Airlines to cancel all flights from the Big Island on Monday.
