And now, the exciting conclusion to Zahra Hirji's retrospective on the 1984 eruption of Hawaii's Mauna Loa. Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 if you haven't! ---------- Remembering When Mauna Loa Last Awoke: The Last Resort (Part3)
Lava flows from the 1984 eruption of Mauna Loa, seen on March 25. Image: R.W. Decker / USGS. HVO’s head Bob Decker departed as conversations about thwarting the Hilo-bound lava flows, whether by barriers or bombs, reached a fevered pitch. A week into Mauna Loa’s 1984 eruption, the Big Island’s Mental Health Association director said, “The greatest cause of stress is the feeling that you have little or no control over a situation…and let’s face it; we have little or no control over Pele.” But that statement was not entirely true. There was always the controversial option of lava mitigation—in other words, stopping or diverting the lava in some ...
