Eruption fears grow after earthquake strikes near Yellowstone volcano

A town in Idaho near the Yellowstone supervolcano was rattled by an earthquake early Friday morning, reigniting fears of a potential eruption.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 3.6 tremor struck southeastern Idaho, close to the town of Soda Springs.

The town is located just over 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Yellowstone National Park, home to one of the world’s largest and most closely monitored supervolcanoes, whose instability remains a constant concern.

The Yellowstone volcano is responsible for significant seismic activity in the region, due to its massive magma chamber. The area experiences between 1,500 and 2,000 earthquakes each year, though the vast majority are minor, rarely exceeding magnitude 2.0 on the Richter scale.

Yellowstone hasn’t erupted in approximately 640,000 years, but some experts and local residents believe that an eruption could be looming.

Earthquakes in the region are typically caused by magma movement, hydrothermal activity, and regional tectonic stress within the seismically active zone that surrounds the park.

(QG - Source: The Daily Mail— Picture : © Unsplash)