- Mount Spurr, a volcano 75 miles from Anchorage, shows signs of an imminent eruption, with rising magma detected through increased gas emissions and seismic activity.
- Volcanic gas emissions, including sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide, are nine times higher than December levels, signaling heightened eruption risk.
- Over 3,400 earthquakes have occurred since April 2024, with shallow tremors indicating magma movement less than 2.5 miles below sea level.
- A potential eruption could mirror past events, producing massive ash columns, disrupting air travel, and posing health risks to Anchorage’s 300,000 residents.
- Authorities urge preparedness for ashfall, while scientists monitor for further warning signs, emphasizing the uncertainty of an eruption but the need for vigilance.
Mount Spurr, a towering volcano located just 75 miles from Alaska’s largest city, is showing alarming signs of an impending eruption that could occur within weeks or months, scientists warn.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has detected significantly elevated levels of volcanic gas emissions, increased seismic activity, and ground deformation—all indicators that magma is rising beneath the 11,070-foot peak. With Anchorage’s 300,000 residents in the potential path of ashfall and toxic emissions, authorities are urging vigilance as the situation unfolds.
The AVO has reported a dramatic spike in volcanic gas emissions, including sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide, which are now nine times higher than levels recorded in December. These gases, detected during recent observational flights, confirm that new magma is flowing beneath the volcano. “There was basically nothing coming out before, and now there’s a lot of gas, particularly CO2 coming out,” said coordinating scientist David Fee. “When we’ve seen this at volcanoes in Alaska and across the world, it means that eruption is getting more likely.”
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