Honolulu: Two active volcanoes in Hawaii, one of which erupted in 2018 and another of which recently stalled before reaching a vital Big Island highway, have ceased to erupt, according to US scientists who made the announcement on Tuesday.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory of the US Geological Survey announced on Tuesday that "Kilauea is no longer erupting," followed by a separate announcement that "Mauna Loa is no longer erupting."

Both volcanoes' alert levels were lowered from watch to advisory. After remaining dormant for 38 years, the largest volcano in the world, Mauna Loa, started spewing molten rock on November 27. 

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The spectacle attracted spectators and initially caused some trepidation among those who have experienced destructive eruptions.
According to Ken Hon, the scientist in charge of the observatory, it was the longest period of repose for Mauna Loa.

Viewers of lava in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park also marvelled at the additional rarity of seeing Kilauea, Mauna Loa's smaller neighbour, erupt at the same time.

Since September 2021, Kilauea has been erupting. More than 700 homes were destroyed by the 2018 Kilauea eruption.
While the lava from Mauna Loa didn't threaten any towns, it did come within 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometres) of the main road that connects the island's east and west sides. Hon referred to the spectacle, which lasted for two weeks and was typical for Mauna Loa, as "my favourite eruption."

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At a briefing on Tuesday, he said, "It was a beautiful eruption, and many people got to see it, and it didn't take out any major infrastructure, and most importantly, it didn't affect anybody's life."

A one-way route that was opened to manage traffic from large crowds of people watching the lava, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno, will close on Thursday.

Magno and other county officials had issued a warning that Saddle Road, also known as Route 200 or the Daniel K. Inouye Highway, might have to be closed due to slow-moving lava. 

This prompted drivers to prepare for disruption due to a closure that could extend commute times on alternative coastal routes by several hours.

Magno said, "This is probably the best situation we could ask for from Mauna Loa, whatever it is—luck, chance. Volcanic eruptions have significant cultural and spiritual meaning for the native Hawaiians. 

Many Hawaiians participated in cultural practises during the Mauna Loa eruption, including singing, chanting, and dancing in honour of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes, and leaving "hookupu" offerings.

The observatory reported that lava flow to a fissure on Mauna Loa stopped on Saturday, and volcanic tremor and earthquakes related to the eruption "greatly diminished."

As the lava flows cool, incandescent spots may persist close to the vent, along channels, and at the flow front for days or weeks, according to the observatory's activity report. However, based on previous eruptive behaviour, eruptive activity is not anticipated to return.

The observatory stated: "Potential remains for resumption of this eruption or initiation of a new eruption at or near the summit of Kilauea" after the lava supply to Kilauea's Halemaumau lava lake was cut off on Friday.

The observatory will keep an eye out for any signs of increased activity at the volcanoes. Hon said that despite the clear statements, it usually takes three months for the eruption to "cool off" before scientists declare it to be finished.

However, he noted that there is no record of a Mauna Loa rift eruption stopping and starting. Therefore, we are fairly confident that this eruption has indeed stopped and is likely over.

It was unclear what might have caused the volcanoes to cease erupting at roughly the same time. Both volcanoes can be seen simultaneously from a number of locations in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park close to Kilauea's caldera.

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Therefore, Kilauea may have already started to diminish and the Mauna Loa eruption may have brought about enough physical changes to stop it, or it may have simply been on its way to stopping, according to Hon. We therefore don't currently have a really solid response to that.

Researchers will examine data.