How to Prepare for (and Possibly Survive) a Volcanic Eruption

Volcanic eruptions are more than juicy meat for school science fair projects. When hot gases and molten rock erupt from holes in the ground, it can quickly change the landscape, flatten buildings and kill a lot of people. Just ask the inhabitants of ancient Pompeii (if you can find anyone).

Volcanic eruptions vary in severity, from minor “eruptions” where molten rock flows out of a volcano to massive “explosive eruptions” of supervolcanoes. The first happens all the time, while the second, fortunately, is very rare, since one of them can lead to a catastrophe on a planetary scale.

How much do you need to worry about a volcano ruining your life? I guess it depends on how much you want to worry. Most people in the United States are unlikely to have to contend with the immediate effects of a volcanic eruption (unless they live in a “ring of fire”; more on that in a few paragraphs), but a strong enough volcanic eruption anywhere on the planet can lead to dire consequences for practically for all.

Supervolcanoes: catastrophic natural monsters

The worst case scenario when it comes to volcanoes is a supervolcano super eruption. We have identified 60 super-eruptions in the history of the Earth, and there are about 20 super-volcanoes on the planet . The largest supereruption in North America occurred at Yellowstone (perhaps the largest volcano on Earth) about 2.1 million years ago. The most recent super eruption occurred at Taupo in New Zealand about 22,600 years ago. So it’s not exactly common.

How uncomfortable will you be if a supervolcano erupts tomorrow?

Very. A powerful volcanic eruption is like winning the bad luck lottery: the chances of it happening are very small, but the negative consequences will be enormous. If, say, Yellowstone were to undergo a massive eruption, then an area about 40 miles around would be flooded with deadly molten rock. Parts of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming will be buried under poisonous ash. During Yellowstone’s last eruption (about 600,000 years ago), enough ash was ejected to cover a large city in miles of ash .

Instant death from a volcanic rock that crushes your head or suffocation in poisonous ash may be preferable to living in peace after a super eruption. Garbage released into the atmosphere is likely to change the global climate for years or decades, bringing untold destruction, destruction and suffering to billions of people.

The “Little Ice Age” between 1300 and 1860 was probably caused (at least in part) by volcanic activity and led to hundreds of years of colder and longer winters, widespread famine, mass die-offs of fish, and other troubles. And it wasn’t even a super eruption.

Fortunately, you will probably die of heart disease before you have to worry about the consequences of a super volcanic eruption, but you never know for sure. Assuming we are indeed watching them , scientists estimate that in the event of a supervolcano eruption , we would have about a year of warning to prepare and/or be scared.

The danger of small eruptions

The danger of super-eruptions may be distant, but smaller-scale eruptions are quite common. On average, about 50-70 volcanoes erupt every year, and about 278,000 people have died due to volcanoes since 1500.

According to the CDC and countless scientific presentations based on high school baking soda and vinegar, volcanic eruptions can cause burns, falls, car accidents caused by slippery and foggy driving conditions, floods, landslides, power outages, drinking water pollution. and forest fires.

Even relatively small volcanic events can have wide-ranging impacts, such as the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in Iceland , which brought more than 100,000 flights and millions of passengers to a standstill.

Let’s hope we have enough early warning of any major eruption – three months passed between the first signs of volcanic activity on Mount St. Helen and its possible eruption in 1980. , the likelihood of death and injury from a volcanic eruption is low. (No one would argue that volcanoes aren’t real or that standing in the way of a lava flow is an important expression of our constitutional freedoms, right?)

Learn from the people who died due to volcanoes

Some of the 57 people who died in the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption were heroes, like volcanologist David A. Johnston, who died doing what he loved: watching volcanoes and warning people to stay away from them. Some were just drug addicts, like Harry Randall Truman.

A bit of a folk hero in the days leading up to the Mount St. Helens eruption, the 83-year-old Truman gave numerous media interviews in which he stated that he had no intention of leaving his home no matter what. scientists said.

“My wife and I both swore years ago that we would never leave Spirit Lake. We liked. It’s part of me, and I’m part of this (expletive) mountain,” Truman told National Geographic.

Truman literally became part of the (expletive) mountain when an avalanche of mud and snow caused by a volcanic eruption buried him and his 16 cats. His remains have never been found.

Long-term preparation for a volcanic eruption

If you live near one of the active volcanoes in the ” Ring of Fire” that stretches from southern British Columbia to Washington State, Oregon and Northern California, or if you are near volcanoes in Hawaii, you can do the following right now to be ready in case of volcanic danger:

• Contact your local emergency management system for information on shelters, evacuations, and any local public address system.
• Assemble a home emergency kit (you should do this anyway for any potential disaster).
• Masks and goggles are very important. Have disposable N95 masks handy (where do you get them?).
• Do an emergency drill or two.
• Access multiple sources of information, including NOAA battery-operated radios, e-mails from thevolcano alert system, and local news.

Visit ready.gov for more information on volcano readiness.

Understand volcano warning terms

There are four levels of volcano alerts. Here’s what they mean.

• Normal : Your volcano is fine.
• Advisory : The volcano is showing signs of increased disturbance “above known background levels”.
• See : it’s getting more serious. The volcano is showing “increasing or escalating unrest with increased eruptive potential, timing unknown.” Or: an eruption “occurs, but poses a limited danger.”
• Warning : A dangerous eruption is imminent, occurring or suspected.

Check out the USGS for a more complete understanding of our volcano warning system.

What to do if you were told to evacuate

Most of the official advice on how to deal with an imminent volcanic eruption boils down to “getting away from the volcano safely.”

We hope you have enough time to evacuate due to the lengthy volcano warning, but you don’t want to just toss your clothes in your bag and hit the road. Review the CDC’s list of actions to take if you are asked/ordered to evacuate. It lists the essential items to bring with you, the steps to take, and more.

What to do during the actual evacuation

So, you have everything ready, the evacuation order has been issued, and it’s time to hit the road. Here are the steps to take to make your evacuation as smooth as possible, according to the CDC .

• Take only the essentials with you, including at least a week’s supply of prescription drugs.
• If you have time, turn off the gas, electricity and water.
• Unplug electrical appliances to reduce the chance of electric shock when power is restored.
• Make sure your car’s emergency kit is ready.
• Follow the marked escape routes – others may be blocked – and expect heavy traffic and delays.

If you were told to hide in place

You may be asked to stay at home and see how things develop, or you may wait. Here’s how to do it safely, according to the CDC :

• Continue to listen to the radio or TV until you are told that everything is in order, or until you are ordered to evacuate. Local authorities may evacuate people from certain areas of your area that are most at risk.
• Close and lock all windows and exterior doors.
• Turn off all heating and air conditioning systems and fans.
• Close the fireplace damper.
• Organize emergency supplies and make sure family members know where they are.
• Make sure the radio is working.
• Go to the inner windowless room, which is above ground level.
• Take your pets with you and don’t forget to bring extra food and water for them.
• It is ideal to have a wired (non-portable) telephone in the room of your choice. Call your emergency contact—a friend or family member who doesn’t live near the volcano—and keep your phone handy if you need to report a life-threatening condition. Be aware that telephone equipment can be overloaded or damaged during an emergency.

If you are caught near an erupting volcano

Whether you’ve ignored all the warnings to get up close and personal with the volcano, an unexpected eruption has occurred, or you’ve signed up for a volcano tour with a dubious company , you may find yourself near a real erupting volcano. If so, then things are really up in the air for you. However, these are some of the steps recommended by the USGS to increase your chances of survival.

• DRIVE AWAY from dangerous areas to improve your chances of safety.
• You can be exposed to falling ash and volcanic rock (tephra), lava flows, lahars, toxic volcanic gases, and hot rock and gas avalanches (pyroclastic flows).
• In enclosed spaces (caves or depressions) on a volcano, volcanic gases can be concentrated and very dangerous.
• Your path to safety may be cut off by lahars (volcanic mudflows). If lahars are a threat, AVOID VALLEY DAY AND LOW AREAS.
• Pay attention to the closing signs; they can save your life.

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