Approximately 73 earthquakes have struck a massive volcano in the last week that scientists warn could soon erupt.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) shared on Friday that Mount Spurr remains at an elevated level of unrest, and an explosive eruption is possible.
In addition to the 73 recorded tremors, AVO noted that ‘much smaller quakes are occurring several times per hour.’
The seismic activity is caused by magma rising toward the surface, which creates pressure and fractures in the surrounding rock.
The agency has also observed steam rising from the volcano and increased gas emissions.
AVO warned that any eruption would likely resemble those in 1953 and 1992.
Those past events involved one or more explosive bursts—each lasting several hours—that produced ash clouds traveling hundreds of miles and dropped up to a quarter inch of ash across southcentral Alaska.
Mount Spurr is located about 80 miles from Anchorage, home to nearly 300,000 residents, which could be blanketed in volcanic ash.
City residents are already preparing for a possible eruption, which experts have said could occur within ‘weeks to months.’
Approximately 73 earthquakes have hit a massive volcano in Alaska that scientists warn could soon erupt. The Alaska Volcano Observatory shard on Friday that the Mount Spurr remains at an elevated level of unrest and an explosive eruption is possible. Picture taken in March
Mount Spurr has been showing signs of an eruption since last fall. leading experts to put it on an advisory.
AVO said in the update that ground deformation at Mount Spurr has slowed over the past month, but noted it had previously occurred in November and December 2024 before restarting.
‘Unrest continues at Mount Spurr, though at a lower level than observed in early 2025,’ the updated shared.
‘While the likelihood of an eruption has decreased since March, the volcano remains at an elevated level of unrest.’
Each ash-producing explosive episode would last three to four hours, and the resulting cloud could blanket the city of Anchorage and other nearby communities in a thick layer of dust.
The eruption would also produce destructive mudslides and avalanches of volcanic debris racing down the volcano’s side at over 200 miles per hour, ‘but fortunately, there are not any communities in that radius that would be affected,’ Haney said.
In addition to locals stockpiling for the event, transportation systems are also scrambling as the eruption will cause international chaos.
The massive cloud of ash would force international hubs such as Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) and potentially Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) to shut down.
Halting all incoming and departing flights at these airports could have a ripple effect across the country, resulting in widespread delays and cancellations and even disrupting the global supply chain.
Mount Spurr is located about 80 miles from Anchorage (pictured), home to nearly 300,000 residents, which could be blanketed in volcanic ash. City residents are already preparing for a possible eruption, which experts have said could occur within ‘weeks to months’
AVO warned that any eruption would likely resemble those in 1953 and 1992 (pictured)
Hundreds of planes fly over Anchorage and Fairbanks per day, and it’s not just passenger flights that would be impacted. ANC is the fourth-busiest cargo airport in the world, with more than 8,000 cargo flights passing through each month.
Then last time Mount Spurr erupted in 1992, ANC shut down for 20 hours while the ash cloud hung over Anchorage.
It darkened skies in the middle of the day, and ultimately settled an eighth of an inch thick across the city.
When Mount Spurr blows, the resulting ash cloud will pose a significant hazard to airplanes because the particles are highly abrasive.
Flying through an ash cloud can quickly damage windscreens, fuselage surfaces, compressor fan blades and even kill the plane’s engine. Ash particles can also cause critical navigational and operational instruments to fail.
All of this means that it is extremely dangerous to fly a plane while a volcanic eruption is occurring nearby. So, all airports in areas affected by the ash cloud will have to shut down.
ANC is perfectly positioned to transit freight between Asia and North America, which is why it is a major cargo hub.
Mount Spurr is one of 53 volcanoes in Alaska. It sits 81 miles from Anchorage, which is home to nearly 300,000 people
Even moderate disruptions at this airport can delay freight shipments, e-commerce and manufacturing deliveries. A total shutdown would bring all of this to a screeching halt.
As for passenger flights, both ANC and FAI are also critical for polar and Pacific air routes.
Flights between North America and Asia, or the US and Europe, sometimes rely on these airports for diversion, refueling or emergency landings.
Closing them would force incoming passenger flights to re-route, resulting in longer flight times and congestion at alternate airports.
Any departing flights from these airports would be grounded until the ash cloud clears, which could take hours or days depending on how long the eruption lasts.
Therefore, Mount Spurr has the potential to snare travel and cargo logistics, resulting in disruptions that extend far beyond the Alaskan border.
The last time this volcano erupted was in 1992, when it saw three back-to-back explosive events in July, August and September.
During the August eruption, ANC shut down for about 20 hours, impacting commerce and transportation.
The Municipality of Anchorage reported nearly $2million in damages, office closures and cleanup costs from the August eruption.
No one was killed by these events directly. But two heart attacks, one fatal, from shoveling ashfall were reported in Anchorage.
Breathing in ash also poses a health hazards. The tiny particles can work their way deep into the lungs, worsening symptoms for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma or bronchitis.
