California Kilauea? Hawaii Eruptions Renew Focus On West Coast Volcanoes
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — As reports of small new eruptions at the summit of Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island continue to stoke fears of a major eruption, some geologists say California - home to eight volcanoes of its own - is worth keeping an eye on.
Officials with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) California Volcano Observatory say there are three volcanic areas in Southern California that bear watching: Long Valley Caldera near Mammoth Lakes, Coso Volcanic Field in Inyo County, and the Salton Buttes/Salton Sea area.
Several quake swarms have rattled the Salton Sea area since 2012, perhaps most memorably in Sept. 2016 when more than 35 seismic events were measured at the lake, including a magnitude-4.3 quake.
And while both the Long Valley and Coso regions are located hundreds of miles from the densely populated Los Angeles area, they "can have a very long reach in terms of their impact", according to Dr. Margaret Mangan, research geologist with the
California Volcano Observatory.
For example, if the Long Valley region were to become active, it could potentially impact the Los Angeles Aqueduct, a critical water system that runs from Mammoth to the Van Norman Reservoir Complex in the San Fernando Valley.
The same goes for the Medicine Lake volcano about 30 miles northeast of Mount Shasta.
While it last erupted about 950 years ago, there's a decent probability of Medicine Lake erupting on any given day, which could threaten a critical high voltage utility line that delivers power to the L.A. area, according to Mangan.
So what can you do to prepare?
Similar to earthquake preparedness, officials say you should have a "grab and go" kit ready, along with food and water supplies for at least week, since there's a potential for infrastructure disruption to water and power.
Fortunately, those who have put off prepping may still have some time: scientists say there are no volcanoes in the mainland U.S. that are currently showing any signs of unrest.
