Tourists flee as Yellowstone geyser erupts in ‘hydrothermal explosion,’ video shows
UPDATE: Yellowstone National Park closed Biscuit Basin for the remainder of the 2024 season for visitor safety, the park said in a news release. Grand Loop Road is open to vehicles, and other nearby thermal basins such as Black Sand Basin are open.
The July 23 explosion sent steam and debris hundreds of feet into the air, “destroyed a nearby boardwalk and ejected grapefruit-sized rocks tens to hundreds of feet” from the geyser. “Some blocks closest to the explosion site are about 3 feet wide and weigh hundreds of pounds.”
Black Diamond Pool and Black Opal Pool were both affected by the explosion, which changed the shape of Black Diamond Pool.
The original story is below.
A geyser in Yellowstone National Park erupted in a hydrothermal explosion right next to tourists on a boardwalk in the park, video shows.
The boardwalk was destroyed during the July 23 explosion, but no injuries were reported in the incident, park officials said in a news release.
The geyser erupted shortly after 10 a.m. about 2 miles northwest of Old Faithful and appears to have originated near Black Diamond Pool, officials said.
Several people recorded videos of the explosion in the Wyoming and Montana park and posted them on social media.
“Biscuit Basin at Yellowstone national park ... just exploded right in front of us,” someone named Vlada March said in the caption of the video they shared to Facebook. “Boardwalk destroyed, my mom got some of the debris but everyone is safe. Unbelievable and grateful to be alive.”
This video includes language that may be offensive to some viewers.
The video shows the early moments of the explosion as black and charcoal debris and steam blast into the air. Tourists on the boardwalk sprint from the explosion as the steam billows toward them.
“It’s covering the sun,” someone says once the explosion subsides.
Park rangers closed Biscuit Basin, including the parking lots and all boardwalks. Officials are still determining the extent of the damage.
A photo shows chunks of debris littered across what’s left of the boardwalk.
“Yellowstone Park staff are on scene assessing conditions after a small hydrothermal explosion occurred today (July 23) in #BiscuitBasin,” USGS Volcanoes said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “There are no reports of injuries. The boardwalk, on the other hand, will need a few repairs. The area remains temporarily closed.”
Someone pointed out that the explosion did not seem small.
“The big ones leave craters hundreds of feet across -- the largest such hydrothermal explosion crater is 1.5 miles across!” USGS Volcanoes said, adding that ones like the July 23 one “happen maybe 1-2 times a year somewhere in Yellowstone.”
“Amazing no one got hurt,” someone else said.
Are explosions common in Yellowstone?
These types of explosions are relatively common in the area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
“Hydrothermal explosions occur when water suddenly flashes to steam underground, and they are relatively common in Yellowstone,” the agency said in a notice.
Porkchop Geyser in Norris Geyser Basin exploded in 1989, and “a small event” was recorded again in the basin by monitoring equipment on April 15, 2024, the agency said.
A similar explosion to the July 23 incident occurred in Biscuit Basin on May 17, 2009, officials said.
“Monitoring data show no changes in the Yellowstone region. Today’s explosion does not reflect activity within (the) volcanic system, which remains at normal background levels of activity,” officials said. “Hydrothermal explosions like that of today are not a sign of impending volcanic eruptions, and they are not caused by magma rising towards the surface.”
In fact, the explosions are “the most likely of Yellowstone’s volcano hazards,” officials said in a comment. “Small hydrothermal explosions happen almost annually someplace in Yellowstone National Park. Since we know you’ll ask, the least likely hazard is a major explosive eruption.”
Officials shared a diagram showing the different types — and destruction levels — of volcano hazards and how often each occurs.
The Yellowstone National Park region is the site of the “largest and most diverse collection of natural thermal features in the world and the first National Park,” USGS officials said in the post.
“Incredible force of nature!” someone said.
This story was originally published July 23, 2024 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Tourists flee as Yellowstone geyser erupts in ‘hydrothermal explosion,’ video shows."
