Mount Rainier, an active volcano towering over the southwestern part of the American state of Washington, was hit by a series of very weak earthquakes on Tuesday, UNN reports with reference to The Independent.
Details
A series of small earthquakes were recorded under the mountain, prompting close observation by authorities. However, researchers concluded that there is currently no threat of eruption.
The earthquake swarm began shortly before 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's Cascade Volcano Observatory and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. Since the beginning of the swarm, hundreds of small earthquakes have occurred near the volcano's summit, the strongest of which had a magnitude of 1.7.
The earthquake epicenters were recorded at depths of 2 to 6 kilometers below the mountain's summit. According to KPTV, none of them were felt on the surface.
As Mount Rainier is an active volcano, officials stated that the seismic activity is not anomalous and emphasized that there is no cause for concern. The volcano's alert level remains normal.
"Rainier typically experiences about nine earthquakes per month," the agencies said in a statement after detecting the swarm. "Similar swarms occur once or twice a year, although this one was more powerful than usual."
Addition
The last significant earthquake on Mount Rainier occurred in 2009 and lasted three days. More than 1,000 seismic events were recorded, the strongest of which reached a magnitude of 2.3.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Mount Rainier's last eruption occurred about 1,000 years ago, but even then there were no lava flows. The last major destructive eruption in Washington State did not occur on Mount Rainier, but on Mount St. Helens - approximately 80 kilometers away, but part of the same mountain range - in 1980. That eruption killed 57 people.
Snow-capped Mount Rainier is located in Mount Rainier National Park, approximately 90 kilometers southeast of Seattle. This mountain is the highest peak in Washington State and can be seen from Seattle on clear days.