Nearly 800 earthquakes have rattled Washington's Mount Rainier in the last 30 days, sparking fears that one of America's most dangerous volcanoes is coming to life. More than half of the quakes, approximately 512, struck in July alone, with one intense swarm unleashing over 400 tremors in just 12 hours. This towering stratovolcano looms over more than 3.3 million people across the Seattle-Tacoma metro area, threatening to cripple entire communities with ashfall, flooding, and catastrophic mudflows if it erupts.
Although Rainier has not produced a major eruption in over 1,000 years, earthquake swarms like this are often linked to volcanic unrest. Such seismic activity is typically triggered by magma rising toward the surface, fracturing surrounding rock under intense pressure. However, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has downplayed immediate eruption fears, saying the current tremors are likely caused by hot fluids, not magma.
Regardless, volcanologists have said that it is only a matter of time until Rainier, arguably the most dangerous volcano in the US, unleashes on the Pacific Northwest. 'Mount Rainier keeps me up at night because it poses such a great threat to the surrounding communities,' Jess Phoenix, a volcanologist and ambassador for the Union of Concerned Scientists told CNN.
When this volcano eventually blows, it won't be lava flows or choking clouds of ash that threaten surrounding cities, but the lahars: violent, fast-moving mudflows that can tear across entire communities in a matter of minutes. Large lahars can crush, abrade, bury, or carry away almost anything in their paths, according to the USGS.
'Tacoma and South Seattle are built on 100-foot-thick ancient mudflows from eruptions of Mount Rainier,' Phoenix said. But for now, the USGS has found 'no indication that the level of earthquake activity is cause for concern, and the alert level and color code for Mount Rainier remain at GREEN / NORMAL.'
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