Earthquakes under a volcano near Alaska’s largest city raise concerns

Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An increase in the number of earthquakes under a volcano near Alaska’s largest city this year has geologists paying attention. Mount Spurr is northwest of Anchorage and last erupted in 1992, when it spewed an ash cloud nearly 12 miles high, canceling flights and prompting people to don masks. According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, another eruption at the 11,100-foot stratovolcano could be severely disruptive to the city. An observatory scientist says there have been about 1,500 small earthquake below the volcano this year, compared to about 100 normally. Scientists say it could be a precursor to an eruption. Similar seismic unrest occurred from 2004 to 2006 without an eruption.