Yellowstone Park out in the western states is home to a huge volcano that if it explodes would immediately cause national chaos in the US and also have international effects of weather. As such, it is with great concern when earthquakes happen in or near the park, for scientists have said that it is overdue to erupt and an earthquake could be a sign of geological problems pointing to this event happening or approaching.
In a story out of the Idaho Statesman, a “swarm”, or small cluster of several earthquakes, was recently reported from Yellowstone Park.
Nearly a dozen earthquakes have shaken the area near Yellowstone National Park in the past 24 hours, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Eleven earthquakes have been reported near West Yellowstone, Montana, in 24 hours, and 34 quakes have hit the same area in the past 30 days, according to Earthquake Track.
Early morning Friday, a 3.1 magnitude earthquake shook the area, Earthquake Track reported. The other quakes reportedranged between 2.5 and 1.6 magnitudes.
The earthquakes were about 3 miles deep, according to USGS. They were located about 15 miles from West Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park, MTN News reported.
“Yellowstone is one of the most seismically active areas in the United States,” the park said on its website. “Approximately 700 to 3,000 earthquakes occur each year in the Yellowstone area; most are not felt.”
Earthquakes in Yellowstone typically happen in swarms, according to the park.
“This phenomenon is related to transport of volcanic fluids along the many small fractures in the shallow rocks over the magma, a pattern that has been noted in volcanoes around the world,” according to the park. (source)
This does not mean that an eruption is imminent.
It does mean that it is something to watch and be aware of, and to pay more attention if it gets worse.