Nearly 300,000 residents of a city in Alaska have been told to prepare for a volcano that ‘is about to erupt.’
Mount Spurr, located 80 miles from Anchorage, has been experiencing elevated seismic activity in recent months with swarms of earthquakes hitting within a 30-mile radius of the base in the last week.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) detected a 2.2 magnitude at 7:43 PM ET Sunday, while the other tremors did not exceed 1 magnitude.
‘Unrest continues at Mount Spurr volcano,’ the AVO shared in a Monday update.
‘Seismicity remains elevated with occasional small, shallow volcanic earthquakes detected beneath the volcano over the past day.’
Officials say the increased seismic activity is a sign magma is rising beneath Mount Spurr, causing stress and cracking in the surrounding rock, leading to earthquakes.
Residents of Anchorage are now stocking up on protective gear, including TikToker Lia, who showed off how she and her family are preparing for the imminent eruption.
‘Mount Spurr is about to erupt, and I want to make sure we are prepared because we have never gone through a volcanic eruption,’ she said.
She explained that the biggest concern is ash that will be blown from the explosion over the city, showing she purchased several respirators, goggles and air filters for her vehicle.
Residents of Anchorage are now stocking up on protective gear, including TikToker Lia, who showed off how she and her family are preparing for the imminent eruption. She has purchased goggles and air filters for her vehicle
Mount Spurr, located 80 miles from Anchorage, has been experiencing elevated seismic activity in recent months with swarms of earthquakes hitting within a 30-mile radius of the base in the last week. Pictured dated March 26
Lia said she purchased swim goggles from Amazon, explaining that they needed to be tight around the head in order to keep the ash out.
She also purchased a pair of goggles for her dog, which is what many Anchorage residents have done to protect their pups.
Lia said her doors and windows ‘seal up very nice nicely’ so she did not purchase tape.
However, other residents have stockpiled duct tape that they will place around window sills and door openings to protect against ashfall and other hazards.
‘So now we just wait for it to erupt and see how it goes,’ said Lia in the TikTok, explaining that experts are predicting about a quarter-inch of ash to blanket Anchorage.
The AVO predicts this eruption will be similar to those in 1953 and 1992, which saw,’ one or more explosive events, each lasting as long as a few hours, would produce ash clouds carried downwind for hundreds of miles and minor (up to about ¼ inch) ashfall over southcentral Alaska.
‘These would likely result in larger ash clouds, thicker ashfall deposits and greater overall impacts. No such eruptions are known in historical times, and the geologic record suggests these are rare. Therefore, the likelihood of such an event is low.’
The AVO also noted on Monday that it did not seen evidence of steaming from Mount Spurr through its land cameras, but it was unable to capture satellite data due to poor weather conditions.
While Anchorage is not within the impact zone, massive clouds of ash are likely to blanket the city and residents
The AVO measured significantly elevated volcanic gas emissions from Mount Spurr volcano on March 7, but the levels have dissipated in the last week.
The stop of emissions could mean that a blockage has formed by hardened magma or gas has been trapped underground.
Magma may still be be rising, and gases still forming, but instead of being released at the surface, they’re both being trapped, adding more stress to the system.
There is also the chance that Mount Spurr could be calming down, but the AVO did make the suggestion in its Monday update.
When it blows, the event ‘would be explosive,’ Matt Haney, scientist-in-charge at the AVO told DailyMail.com, adding that it would spew multiple plumes of ash rising as high as 50,000 feet into the air.
Each ash-producing explosive episode would last three to four hours, resulting in Anchorage and other nearby communities being engulfed in a giant cloud.
While Anchorage is not within the impact zone, massive clouds of ash are likely to blanket the city and residents.
Volcanic ash can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and cause more serious health issues for people with asthma, other forms of lung disease and severe heart problems.
Seismic activity near Mount Spurr kicked off in April 2024, and the rate of events increased from an average of 30 per week to an average of 125 per week in early October that has continued since.
While the recent quakes are small, the swarms suggest pressure is building, cracks are widening and magma is moving.
On March 20, Anchorage officials raised the emergency planning level to Level 2, which means that they will ramp up communication with the public about the threat and public safety agencies will prepare to launch into eruption response protocols.
The city has also issued safety recommendations for pet owners ahead of the possible eruption.
The AVO predicts this eruption will be similar to those in 1953 and 1992 (pictured)
Anchorage locals have shared photos of their pups’ protective gear on the Facebook page for a local pet shop, AK Bark, that is selling goggles and dog respirators
Officials advised people to keep their animals inside as much as possible, have enough food and medication on hand to last two weeks, and be sure to brush or wash ash out of their fur if they do have to go outside.
Residents of Anchorage have not taken the warnings lightly and have purchases necessary gear for themselves and their dogs.
‘We’re getting ready for the volcanic eruption,’ said TikTok user Angela Łot’oydaatlno Gonzalez in a recent video, ‘Check out the dogs.’
Wearing a pair of goggles, she sits with her two dogs who are also sporting protective eyewear. ‘They’re not happy with the goggles,’ Gonzalez says. ‘We have to get them ear protection next, and something to cover their bodies.’
She also shows all the items she has purchased over the last few weeks in preparation for a Mount Spurr eruption, including protective masks, dog booties and tape to close off any gaps in windows and doors and jugs of water.
Anchorage residents Alliana Salanguit and Jesslin Wooliver told NPR that they bought protective gear for their dog, Iroh, as soon as scientists announced that Mount Spurr may erupt.
‘I searched ‘pink, dog goggles, small,’ and it was the top result,’ Salanguit said of Iroh’s heart-shaped goggles. ‘Aren’t they darling?’
AK Bark, an Anchorage pet store sells protective eyewear for dogs, and owner Mark Robokoff told NPR he sold more than 500 pairs in March.
He added that a shipment dog respirators is also headed to the store, and he’s already presold 1,800 of them.
