Mount Spurr (75 mi from Anchorage) primed to blow—magma flowing, gas spiking, seismic rumbles. Eruption could hit in weeks, unleashing 200+ mph lava flows, toxic ash clouds. 300K lives at risk, no sure warning. Is Anchorage ready for this?
A giant volcano in Alaska is showing signs of an impending eruption.
Significantly elevated levels of volcanic gas emissions were recently observed around Mount Spurr, which is located 75 miles from Anchorage that is home to nearly 300,000 people.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) said the emissions ‘confirm’ that new magma is flowing beneath the volcano, indicating an foreseeable eruption.
Increased seismic activity and ground deformation have also been detected in the surrounding area.
These signs indicate ‘that an eruption is likely, but not certain, to occur within the next few weeks or months,’ scientists said.
If Mount Spurr erupts, it would produce destructive mudslides, avalanches of hot gas and flows of lava racing down the volcano’s side at over 200 miles per hour.
Scientists predict the ash cloud would travel hundreds of miles away, engulfing anyone in low-lying areas in toxic emissions.
‘While we expect additional changes to monitoring data prior to an eruption, it is also possible that an eruption could occur with little or no additional warning,’ they said.