Yellowstone: 'Swarm of earthquakes' spotted around volcano

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A 3.1-magnitude earthquake has struck the Yellowstone supervolcano. More than 140 earthquake strikes were recorded underneath Lake Yellowstone in less than 24 hours. USGS warned that the earthquake swarms were “common” and urged the public not to worry.

However, some people are concerned that earthquakes in Yellowstone could be a sign that the supervolcano beneath the park may erupt.

The USGS tweeted: “Earthquake sequences like these are common and account for roughly 50 percent of the total seismicity in the Yellowstone region.

“This swarm is similar to one that occurred in about the same place during December 2020.”

Within this swarm, there were 40 earthquakes larger than a magnitude-2 and two events within a magnitude-3 range.

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Seismic activity has been up in recent weeks in this volcanic area.

USGS scientists said that June was an unusually active month for earthquakes.

Yellowstone registered 445 earthquakes during the month, more than double the monthly average which ranges from 100 to 200 earthquakes.

But officials stressed that there’s nothing concerning about the recent activity.

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The USGS said: “While above average for a month, this is by no means unprecedented.”

Officials do not think an eruption at Yellowstone is likely for thousands of years.

The alert level at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is green, which is normal.

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On the reasons behind the recent activity, the USGS explained: “Some swarms are driven by slow fault slip that causes earthquakes on few sticky patches of the fault.

“Other swarms are generated when magma-filled cracks push their way through the crust.”

One observer of Yellowstone earthquakes, who runs the YouTube channel MrMBB333, was concerned that the “strength of these swarms in the centre of Yellowstone supervolcano lake is intensifying over time”.

He added: “3.1-magnitude is not an exceptionally large earthquake size but its location is a big deal.” 

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