Hydrothermal explosion in Yellowstone releases geyser of rock and steam

Visitors were left running for safety in Yellowstone National Park after a hydrothermal explosion sent rock and steam into the air north of Old Faithful geyser on Tuesday, park officials said.

There were no injuries and the extent of damage caused by the explosion that occurred in Biscuit Basin, about 2 miles northwest of Old Faithful, at about 10:19 a.m., was unknown, the National Park Service said. said in a statement.

The type of explosion that happened on Tuesday involves hot water and results in the “rapid ejection of boiling water, steam, mud and rock fragments.” according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Video of the eruption it showed people, including children, running as a column of black and gray material and vapor shot into the air.

Yellowstone is famous for its thermal features and hot pools.

Hydrothermal explosions happen when water at or near the ground’s boiling point quickly turns into a stream due to a drop in pressure, the USGS says.

Explosions like Tuesday’s “are relatively common in Yellowstone,” the USGS said said in a statement after the incident. A small explosion happened in the Norris Geyser Basin in April, and there was an explosion in the Biscuit Basin in 2009, he said.

Photos posted by Yellowstone National Park show the nearby boardwalk covered in dirt, rocks and debris.

The boardwalk and a parking lot have been closed for now due to safety concerns, the National Park Service said. The explosion has nothing to do with volcanic activity, he noted.

Park and USGS officials are monitoring the situation and will decide when the area can reopen, officials said.

This article was originally published in NBCNews. with