Visitors at Yellowstone National Park had to run for safety following an underground hydrothermal explosion.
This eruption occurred in the Biscuit Basin area of the park, near Black Diamond Pool, which is approximately 2.1 miles northwest of Old Faithful.
Dramatic footage captures about a dozen tourists fleeing along the boardwalk leading to the thermal pools, as a massive black mushroom cloud of steam and debris rose hundreds of feet into the air. Some tourists can be heard screaming as large chunks of rock were thrown in all directions.
Miraculously, there were no injuries reported, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). However, Biscuit Basin, along with its parking lot and boardwalks, has been temporarily closed to ensure visitor safety. The USGS explained that such explosions happen when water suddenly flashes to steam underground and that these events are “relatively common in Yellowstone.”
The federal agency clarified that the explosion is not a sign of volcanic activity and was not caused by magma rising towards the surface.
Footage taken after the plume subsided shows debris scattered across the boardwalk as tourists cautiously approach to observe the steaming underground cauldron. Yellowstone geologists are currently investigating the explosion.
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