‘Imminent’ eruption warning for volatile Alaskan volcano
Alaska’s tiny Bogoslof volcano is in danger of another “imminent” eruption following Monday’s blast which blew ash about six miles into the sky.
A code red aviation warning was issued by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Monday, meaning an “eruption is imminent with significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere likely.”
AVO Bogoslof RED/WARNING - Significant explosive eruption and increase to Aviation Color Code and Alert Level. https://t.co/TjoObDGgbc
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) August 7, 2017
The warning cites “seismic and infrasound activity” since the volcano’s explosive three-hour eruption on Monday afternoon.
3 volcanic lightning flashes detected by @WWLLN for the current Bogoslof event pic.twitter.com/xMndwkmu72
— Cassandra Smith (@C_MarieSmith) August 7, 2017
READ MORE: Volcano eruption creates 35,000ft high ash cloud in under 1hr (PHOTOS)
Monday’s event was “longer-lived” than most of Bogoslof’s many previous eruptions, according to Hans Schwaiger, a geophysicist at the observatory.
AVO Bogoslof RED/WARNING - Explosive eruption from 10:00 to 13:00 AKDT; low-level activity continues. https://t.co/NaarBApIs5
— Alaska AVO (@alaska_avo) August 7, 2017
After a quarter-century break, the small volcano erupted back to life in December 2016, and has exploded about 60 times since.
Nice view of the tiny (but very large when you consider it grows from the sea floor) #Bogoslof#volcanohttps://t.co/YvDPns1Nu5
— Dr Janine Krippner (@janinekrippner) July 19, 2017
Prior to Monday, the volcano had been quiet for about two weeks, however it is known to erupt “once or twice a week, on average,” with usually “very little to no warning.”