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A subterranean hydrothermal explosion at Yellowstone National Park sent tourists fleeing on Tuesday morning as a giant black mushroom cloud of steam and debris surged metres into the sky.

The eruption occurred at the national park’s Biscuit Basin area, which is a few kilometres from the famous Old Faithful geyser.

Visitors to the Biscuit Basin geyser managed to capture the eruption on video amid folks yelling for people to run. The frightening footage shows about a dozen tourists fleeing along the boardwalk leading up to the thermal pools as large chunks of rock spewed in all directions. As the lady taking the video notes: “Jesus!”

Miraculously, no one was injured in the explosion.

 

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According to the federal authorities, the explosion is not indicative of volcanic activity and was not triggered by magma rising to the surface.

Similar explosions are not uncommon. Porkchop Geyser in Norris Geyser Basin erupted in 1989, and scientists reported a similar, but lesser, incident in April of this year. According to USGS, Yellowstone is home to the “largest and most diverse collection of natural thermal features in the world.”

Footage of the aftermath of the explosion shows ash and debris everywhere, with tourists and their kids amazingly flocking back to check out the steaming pit.

 

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[source:nypost]