Redoubt's rumbling, but still no eruption

Published: January 31, 2009 

A webcam was installed at Alaska Volcano Observatory's Juergens Hut in November to provide a view of the north flank of Redoubt Volcano. On Sunday, Alaska Volcano Observatory geologists upgraded the aviation color code for Redoubt from yellow to orange, indicating that an eruption may be imminent.

Photo courtesy of Alaska Volcano Observatory / USGS

Seismic unrest at Mount Redoubt continued late Wednesday. Government geologists are still watching the volcano full time but have eased predictions back a little, now describing an eruption as possible within days or weeks.

"Seismicity has remained at a relatively constant level for the past 24 hours and is still well above background (levels)," the Alaska Volcano Observatory reported.

Crews that flew to the mountain Tuesday detected muddy discharges from the Drift River glacier directly below the summit crater. A typical Redoubt eruption is characterized by a large explosion that can shoot an ash cloud 40,000 feet high, the observatory noted.

Located about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, Mount Redoubt last erupted between December 1989 and April 1990. Its ash plume then disrupted international air traffic and coated Anchorage in a thin layer of volcanic dust.

On Tuesday engineers repaired a volcano Web-cam located about six miles northwest of Redoubt's summit. Live photographs of the volcano -- shrouded in clouds Wednesday -- can now be seen on the observatory Web site. The site also posts volcano status updates.

On Wednesday, the American Red Cross of Alaska posted information on its own Web site advising Alaskans on precautionary steps to take prior to a volcanic eruption, including the creation of a family disaster plan and assembling a disaster supply kit.

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