Volcanic Eruption Rocks Yellowstone National Park
Cheyenne, Wyoming— An unexpected volcanic eruption sent steam, water, dark rock and mud dozens of feet into the sky on Tuesday, sending people running for their lives in Yellowstone National Park.
The hydrothermal explosion occurred around 10 a.m. in Biscuit Basin, a few miles (3.2 kilometers) north of the famous Old Faithful geyser.
Video posted online showed dozens of people on the boardwalk watching the eruption spread in front of them. As water and debris began to fall, they ran to keep their distance, some shouting “Back off!” and “Oh my God!” before people turned to watch the spectacle beneath the giant clouds of steam.
The eruption damaged the Boardwalk, an elevated boardwalk that keeps people away from Yellowstone’s fragile and often dangerous geothermal areas. Photos and videos after the accident showed damaged guardrails and boards near the muddy pool covered in rocks and silt.
No injuries were reported, but the Biscuit Basin area was closed for visitor safety, according to a statement from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Causes of Hydrothermal Explosions
Hydrothermal explosions occur when water suddenly flashes into steam underground. Such explosions are relatively common in Yellowstone.
Similar explosions occurred in the Biscuit Basin in 2009, 1991, and in 1959 after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Lake Hebgen, 40 miles (64 kilometers) away.
Although eye-catching, the latest is smaller, the statement said.
Volcanic Activity in Yellowstone
Scientists speculate that a series of hydrothermal explosions created Mary Inlet on the northeast side of Yellowstone Lake about 13,800 years ago. At 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) wide, Mary Bay is the largest known hydrothermal explosion crater in the world.
Yellowstone is centered around a massive dormant volcano. The hydrothermal explosion did not indicate new activity within the volcanic system, which remains at normal levels, according to the Geological Survey.
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Hansen reported from Helena, Montana.
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