The Yellowstone supervolcano which is a popular tourist spot may pose a greater threat to people of Wyoming, United States as it is more likely to produce an earthquake with a high magnitude than an eruption.
"The biggest concern we have for Yellowstone is not with the volcano, it's with the earthquakes. This is an underappreciated hazard in the Yellowstone area. There can and there will be in the future magnitude-7 earthquakes," Michael Poland, scientist-in-charge at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, told USA Today as reported by Daily mail.
The Yellowstone scientists have warned the National Park and the areas around about the hazard. One can be prepared for it but the earthquake will be struck without caution.
There are about 1,500 to 2,500 earthquakes in the region. A few of them go unnoticed as they are not felt. The last earthquake of 7.3 magnitude occurred 60 years ago which led to huge landslides resulting in 28 deaths.
The landslide let more than 80 million rocks loosen and they even blocked a river which then formed into a lake that was aptly named Earthquake Lake. Yellowstone remains a closely monitored volcano site and fears are ripe that, unlike in 1959, the next earthquake will be a much bigger catastrophic event.
Scientists say that if the earthquake does occur, then it can lead to a vulcanic eruption but some have downplayed the impact. Jamie Farrell, a geology professor at the University of Utah, said: "Visitors shouldn't be on high alert for a geological event of any sort... We like to talk about these big, grandiose things happening like big earthquakes or large volcanic eruptions, but those are highly unlikely events."
"You're in much more danger driving to Yellowstone than you would be by any of these things happening while you're there," he said, reported USA Today.
