Science
300,000 Americans On Edge As Massive 11,000ft Volcano Shows Signs Of Imminent Eruption
As an 11,000-foot volcano prepares to explode, a startling 300,000 Americans are feverishly getting ready.
In recent weeks, Mount Spurr, which is situated in a remote area of Alaska, has been displaying indications that an eruption may be imminent.
About 300,000 people live in Anchorage, Alaska, which is about 81 miles from the volcano. The city is currently bracing for a possibly devastating catastrophe.
A Mount Spurr eruption was predicted to occur “within the next few weeks or months,” according to an announcement made earlier this month that the likelihood of one had increased.
Locals told NPR that they had purchased safety goggles for their dogs as part of their preparations for the occasion.
According to the report, the city authority has made guidelines for dogs and warned about the possibility of ash getting into the lungs.
Ash contains “tiny jagged particles of rock and natural glass,” which the US Geological Survey has cautioned can be dangerous to both people and animals.
In the event of a volcanic eruption, residents are being told to stay indoors, and they are also employing tape to cover off window gaps.
The activity of the volcano has been closely observed by specialists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO).
In an update on Tuesday (April 8), they wrote: “Unrest continues at Mount Spurr volcano. Seismicity remains elevated with occasional small, shallow volcanic earthquakes detected beneath the volcano over the past day.”
“AVO continues monitoring activity at Mount Spurr for signals indicating that the volcano is moving closer to an eruption.”
Speaking to Alaska Public Media, Matt Haney, who is the scientist in charge at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, said, “It’s almost like we have a checklist of the usual signs that volcanoes give us before they progress to an eruption, and now we’re seeing all four of those are giving us those indicators.”
Although it is still unclear if an eruption will occur at all, geologists now think it is more likely than not.
Haney said, “We haven’t quantified what that is in terms of a percentage but it is judged to be higher likelihood than this unrest dissipating.”
Although it is currently impossible to predict when Mount Spurr will erupt, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) is keeping an eye on its activity and has given it an advisory status with a Level of Concern Colour Code Yellow rating, which indicates that there have been indications of increased unrest.
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