Spectacular footage: Lava fountains spew from Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa's eruption in Hawaii continues unabated. Lava fountains from the volcano shoot several metres high into the sky, as seen in the video.

Mauna Loa in Hawaii has been spewing lava and volcanic gases for three days, since its first eruption in 38 years. Lava streams are flowing down the northeast flank of Fire Mountain, but fortunately do not yet pose a threat to inhabited areas.

According to the USGS, one of the lava flows blocked the road to the meteorological observatory. Further blockages on the island are expected as a result of the lava through the coming days.

The more than 4100m high Mauna Loa, which means "long mountain" in Hawaiian, is considered the largest active volcano in the world.

The volcano has erupted 33 times since 1843, which is the date of the first recorded eruption. That roughly works out as one eruption every five to six years, but the last eruption was nearly 40 years ago.

In the last 10 years however, there have been apparent signs of magma welling up. It is these plumes of magma that first formed the whole chain of Hawaiian Islands.