Alaskan volcano finally ends its 20-year slumber

by Stevie Smith - Mar 23 2009, 16:15

Initially ominous grumbles emanating from Mount Redoubt in Alaska over the last few days have now progressed to a concentrated series of fully-fledged explosive eruptions, according to reports from expert geologists monitoring the volcano.

According to geologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the volcano has erupted three times between late Sunday night and early Monday morning, which has culminated in a towering exhalation of smoke and debris reaching around 15,000 feet into above sea level.

Although no instances of ash fall have yet been reported, the volcano’s last major eruptions in 1989 and 1990 resulted in massive clouds of ash being spewed across a distance of 150 miles.

The Anchorage Daily News has reported that the observatory has issued a warning to the nearby Drift River Oil Terminal that potential mudflows and flooding from melting glaciers could be heading its way along the Cook Inlet.

Similarly, the U.S. Geological Survey has advised that mudflows could impact the Drift and Crescent rivers, which both branch off from the main inlet.

Measuring some 10,197 feet, the first rumblings that suggested a possible end to Mount Redoubt’s 20-year-slumber began gathering at the tail end of January, when geologists began focusing their attentions on increased seismic activity in the area.

Mount Redoubt is situated a mere 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, which is Alaska’s largest city with an estimated metropolitan population of 280,000.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory has issued a full "Red" warning regarding this latest bout of seismic activity, indicating imminent eruption and/or eruption in progress.

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The Tech Herald: Scientists monitoring Alaskan volcano report no change

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