(TheRedAlertNews.com) – In a worrying development, a dormant volcano near Anchorage, Alaska, is showing signs of awakening after decades of slumber.
Mount Spurr now has an alarming 50% chance of blowing up, threatening to disrupt air travel and shower ash over Alaska’s largest city, home to 300,000 Americans.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has been closely monitoring Mount Spurr, issuing advisories and using an extensive seismic network.
However, some question the effectiveness of these measures in safeguarding American lives and infrastructure.
The AVO’s code yellow advisory is particularly concerning given the potential devastation an eruption could cause.
Increased earthquake activity beneath Mount Spurr, particularly around Crater Peak, suggests new lava movement.
By February 6, 2024, around 125 earthquakes per week were detected. The largest recent earthquake, of magnitude 2.9, occurred on January 2, 2024. In the meantime, scientists are monitoring the situation closely.
The main concern with an eruption would be ash clouds and ashfall affecting aviation and travel in the Cook Inlet region, particularly impacting Anchorage’s airport.
This potential disruption to air travel and commerce could have far-reaching consequences for Alaska’s economy and the livelihoods of hardworking Americans.
Regarding the situation, AVO scientist-in-charge at the U.S. Geological Survey Matt Haney said, “It’s had a higher-than-normal number of earthquakes for many months.”
“But over the past month, that itself increased, and also the location of the earthquakes changed,” he added.
“Today there are even more flights coming in and out of the Anchorage airport, so if something like that were to happen that would be very disruptive,” Haney warned.
Past eruptions at Crater Peak were small but explosive, dispersing ash over various regions of Alaska and beyond and causing volcanic-debris flows or lahars.
The potential for widespread damage and disruption is clear, prompting worries about the available measures to protect citizens in case of a large eruption.
Adding to the concern, scientists admit there is a possibility of magma build-up without leading to an eruption, as seen in previous unrest in 2004 and 2005.
“Sometimes there can be a build-up of magma beneath the volcano but it doesn’t have enough magma to ultimately proceed all the way and produce a volcanic eruption,” Haney theorized.
As if the threat from Mount Spurr was not enough, reports indicate that the Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano off the Oregon coast, also shows signs of potential eruption.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory says new magma is likely the cause of volcanic unrest at Mount Spurr https://t.co/jQfD1u8PBy
— Alaska's News Source (@AKNewsNow) February 11, 2025
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