Dormant Volcano in the US Could Erupt and Cause Wide-Spread Destruction

Now, a dormant volcano in Alaska might be coming to life after 800 years. The sleeping giant has shown several signs of awakening, and geologists are worried that the explosion could have widespread effects.

The volcano is located roughly 10 miles east of the Queen Charlotte Fault and hasn’t fully erupted in more than 4,000 years. However, recently, the dormant volcano that makes a stunning background for many Alaskans has been smoking and showing other signs of activity.

The stunning feature adds a certain depth of beauty to the Alaskan wilderness. Small wood cabins dot the hiking trails along the lower base of the mountain and are unfortunately in harm’s way if the volcano does erupt.

Oliver Bichar lit over 70 old tires in the crater, causing dark smoke to rise over the volcano’s crest. However, the FAA and the Sitka Police Department were notified of the prank beforehand, so the gesture was more fun for locals than it was scary.

For instance, the surrounding area has experienced minor earthquakes, which are often considered signs of moving magma.

There is a 10.5-inch change in surface height. While there is a small difference in such a large mountain, the deformity could mean that underground magma is rising to the surface.

The most common signs are magma rising to the surface, causing a height difference in the volcano, along with swelling and cracking at the surface. In addition, minor earthquakes and smoking are sure signs that geological activity has changed the pressure under the surface.

There have been several small earthquakes in the area and researchers have also noticed a height difference in the great mountain. If they see smoke or notice cracks in the surface, then they will really start to worry.

The geological formation is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, which contains more than 160 other volcanoes along the U.S. and Canadian coasts, yet it was only one of two volcanic eruptions in North America in the 20th century.

As well, 250 homes were destroyed, 47 bridges and 185 miles of highway were completely destroyed. People in Canada and Montana had thick ash falling on their homes in a “debris avalanche.”

Mount Lassen, which is located in the Cascade Range in California, absolutely devastated the state as it rained volcanic ash over a 200-square-mile area.

Fortunately, because of the volcano’s location and the weather, the ash was blown away from land and over the ocean. No people or homes were harmed during the incident.

Other parts of the world have constantly active volcanoes. Places like Iceland and Indonesia are on constant alert to watch out for dangerous explosions.

In 2010, a massive eruption killed more than 350 people over the course of a month as 350,000 people were forced to flee their homes.

Earlier this month, Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupted, completely shutting down a nearby national park. Active lava was seen running down the sides of the mountain and reaching close to the shoreline.

Most of these are located in Alaska, which is home to 54 active volcanoes. But California and Washington also have seven and five active volcanoes, respectively.

It’s interesting to note that the Alaska Volcano Observatory has reported around two eruptions per year since 1900, though they’re not all considered eruptions as more often than not, only smoke was released into the air.

However, that hasn’t stopped scientists from worrying that it could very well happen again in our lifetime.

Currently, the most dangerous and, therefore, the most monitored volcano in Alaska is Mount Redoubt. The 9,000-foot-high stratovolcano has erupted five times since 1900.

However, there are concerns that a truly catastrophic eruption could happen at any point. And as the largely populated city of Anchorage is only 108 miles away, it could kill thousands of people.

While lava flow can destroy homes and kill anything in its path, volcanic activity also produces excessive amounts of ash and debris that can cover entire cities, often burying people alive.

Humans have already caused considerable air pollution over the past century thanks to the constant burning of fossil fuels. Therefore, a large volcanic eruption  could possibly make our air fatal to anyone who breathes it.

According to one report, “On one hand, a climate-related event can happen during a volcanic event, worsening the disaster; on the other hand, some of the effects of a changing climate might trigger the eruption directly.

The only hope scientists have is to watch active volcanoes closely, and if they look as though they may erupt, evacuate any nearby towns or cities. Which, of course, is exactly what they are doing at Mt. Edgecumbe right now.