1,000 earthquakes shake massive US volcano
Mount Rainier has been under the watchful eye of experts recently as it seems to have rumbled non-stop since July 8. Now, more than 1,000 earthquakes have rocked the Washington mountain in the largest earthquake swarm recorded at this active volcano, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). But the question is, will it erupt? (Picture: Getty)
Since July 25, the USGS has recorded at least 1,010 small earthquakes around the mountain. However, these have been too small to feel, with the largest one reaching 2.4 in magnitude. The USGS said the last large swarm at Mount Rainier in 2009 had a maximum magnitude of 2.3 and lasted three days. Officially there were 120 earthquakes located in that swarm, although many more occurred but were too small to locate (Picture: Getty)
Will the volcano erupt?
It seems very unlikely. The current alert level for Mount Rainier is normal, and the USGS said: ‘No, the volcano is not “due” for an eruption and we do not see any signs of a potential eruption at this time.’ However, the last large swarm at Mount Rainier in 2009 lasted for 3 days, and this current is going on past 20 days. The USGS said: ‘Most swarms at Mount Rainier (there are 1-2 annually) last less than a week. That being said, we do not have a good estimate for how long this swarm may last, and whether it will intensify or peter out’ (Picture: Getty)
Where is Mount Rainier?
Mount Rainier is a volcano located at the highest peak in the Cascade Range in Washington, as it looms over nearby towns Orting, Seattle, Tacoma and Yakima. It is almost 4,500m high. The volcano has erupted before. Around 5,600 years ago, part of Mount Rainier collapsed to form a larger crater, like Mount St Helens after 1980. But the last magmatic eruption occurred around 1,000 years ago (Picture: Getty)
Why are experts worried about a potential Mount Rainier eruption?
The National Volcano Early Warning System warns that Mount Rainier’s threat potential is high if it were to erupt. Volcanoes are assessed by the risk posed to people and property by looking at volcanic hazards, such as the materials that are produced from a volcano, as well as exposure to people and property. Mount Rainier is a large volcano that is close to many cities, so it is considered high risk (Picture: Getty)
Mount Rainier is also dangerous for the type of material that can spill out. Seth Moran, a research seismologist at USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington, told CNN: ‘The thing that makes Mount Rainier tough is that it is so tall, and it’s covered with ice and snow, and so if there is any kind of eruptive activity, hot stuff … will melt the cold stuff and a lot of water will start coming down. And there are tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people who live in areas that potentially could be impacted by a large lahar, and it could happen quite quickly’ (Picture: Getty)
Lahars are hazardous. This slurry of water and volcanic rock which come from ice or snow that has been rapidly melted by an eruption moves quickly and picks up debris as it flows through valleys and drainage channels. The deadliest one in recent history was in November 1985, when Colombia’s Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted. Just a few hours after the eruption started, a river of mud, rocks, lava and icy water swept over the town of Armero and killed over 23,000 people in a matter of minutes (Picture: Getty)
