The volcano's flow has slowed in recent days, and its behavior suggests the eruption may soon stop, according to the USGS, though when that could happen is still unclear.
Though lava eruption from the last active fissure continues, the lava oozing down and the volcanic gas emissions have been greatly reduced,
"High eruption rates will not resume based on past eruptive behavior and current behavior suggests that the eruption may end soon," USGS said in a news release Saturday. "However, an inflationary trend of Mauna Loa's summit is accompanying the decreased activity and there is a small possibility that the eruption could continue at very low eruptive rates.
Still, eruptions can be unpredictable and there's "the uncertainty of continuing eruptive activity and the possibility of volcanic ash emissions," USGS says. "The significance of the reduced supply of lava is not yet clear; it is common for eruptions to wax and wane or pause completely, but none of the 8 recorded eruptions from Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone returned to high eruption rates after those rates decreased significantly," USGS previously said.
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