The Yellowstone caldera is considered as a super volcano due to the global catastrophic devastation that it will be able to inflict when it erupts. It covers several states in the US including Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. This active volcano is under constant monitoring by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for any signs of eruption that may come its way. Small earthquakes in the area are constantly monitored as it could trigger the big eruption they fear the most.
There has been a recorded 135 earthquakes in the Yellowstone Region, including a number of 78 tremors around the location. The largest recorded Earthquake for July alone has a magnitude of 2.9 magnitude. It was not a huge earthquake so nobody in the park ever reported it happening.
Although these small magnitude earthquakes have become a frequent outcome in the region, these small scenarios could be more dangerous. When they occur in a much larger scale, the researchers are afraid that it might bring about devastating results not only to its neighboring communities but the whole world too.
"Things were so much more different 60 years ago," Mike Poland, a USGS scientist revealed. "August is an important anniversary for Yellowstone as we remember the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake. It occurred at exactly August 17 around 11:37 at night.
It left a huge fault scarp and it's so big that people can come and see it, sixty years after. "I think that this anniversary remains to be an important reminder that earthquake hazards in Yellowstone that are spoken of are pretty significant, especially in terms of its implications to its surrounding communities.
"Earthquakes with a magnitude of six or higher may happen and it is something that everyone should be aware of." In 2009, a huge earthquake hit the yellowstone area which led to 28 fatal deaths and a considerable amount for repairs. Victims of the earthquake said it was one of those that are frightening. In their words, they describe it as something, "It was horrible."
"The grounds were opening up." the big event caused a great avalanche of soil, trees and rocks. All of which came down from the south wall of the Madison River Canyon. They were tumbling down at a speed of 100 mph. Eighty million tonnes of rocks only took less than a minute to slam down into the canyon, which basically blocked the river and paved the way for the formation of the lake.
Who knows what another huge earthquake could cause? This time, scientists hope it won't cause people's lives because people have been prepared for the worse.
