Three US volcanoes – Alaska’s Great Sitkin, Mount Spur, and Hawaii’s Kilauea – have been placed under elevated threat levels due to increased seismic activity and unrest. The US Geological Survey (USGS) has raised the alert level for these volcanoes after detecting signs of heightened unrest and potential eruptions.
Great Sitkin Volcano in Alaska is on ‘Watch’ following small earthquakes and steaming from its summit crater, while Mount Spur is under ‘Advisory’ due to increased seismic activity over the past 10 months. Kilauea in Hawaii has also been placed under ‘Watch’ after erupting earlier this week, spewing hot lava hundreds of feet into the air.
Experts warn that Mount Spurr could produce explosive plumes of ash and lahars if it were to erupt, posing a threat to human health and potentially damaging communities. Great Sitkin, which erupted in 2021, is now showing signs of increased unrest and is at risk of another violent eruption. Kilauea’s latest eruption has produced hazardous gas and ash that can cause breathing difficulties and release toxins linked to cancer.
The USGS uses a nationwide volcano alert-level system to characterize conditions at US volcanoes, with codes including ‘Normal,’ ‘Advisory,’ ‘Watch’ and ‘Warning.’ The agency closely monitors seismic activity, ground deformation, volcanic gases, thermal emissions, and changes in water levels and chemistry to determine the level of threat.
The three volcanoes are among 169 active volcanoes in the US, which are monitored by the USGS. If an eruption were to occur, it could produce pyroclastic flows that could reach speeds of over 200 mph, ash that could pose a threat to human health, and destructive mudslides called lahars.
The USGS advises that while Mount Spurr has not yet erupted, there are communities within the potential path of pyroclastic flows or lahars from this volcano. Therefore, residents in these areas should remain vigilant and monitor any updates on volcanic activity.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14397997/volcano-warning-alerts-elevated-possible-eruptions-hawaii-alaska.html