Geyser eruption

Yellowstone: Tourists flee from explosion

The tourists ran for their lives.

(Bild: Screenshot facebook.com/vlada.bolotinsky)

"This is a little unusual." A few seconds after these words from a tourist guide in Yellowstone National Park in the US state of Wyoming, numerous tourists ran for their lives. A geyser exploded on Tuesday, hurling a pitch-black fountain several meters into the air. A woman captured the chaotic scenes on her smartphone (video above). 

Vlada March was walking with her two children as part of a guided hike through the national park in the Biscuit Basin area when her guide stopped and pointed to a geyser where steam was rising. March and numerous other visitors pulled out their cell phones and prepared to film an interesting natural spectacle. But a few moments later, there was a huge explosion. A pitch-black fountain of mud and stones was shot into the air, which then thundered to the ground.

Damage, but no injuries
The panicked park visitors ran for their lives. While several parts of the visitor walkway were destroyed, tourists and park rangers were unharmed. However, some of them were covered in dirt from head to toe afterwards. The national park administration explained in a press release that a hydrothermal explosion had occurred near the famous Old Faithful geyser. This caused boiling hot water and steam to shoot into the air with masses of debris and earth. At the location where this natural spectacle took place, however, it is rather unusual. Nevertheless, there is "no change whatsoever in the volcanic system" of the park.

Geologist speaks of "dramatic images"
A geologist told the New York Times that the images, which spread rapidly on social media, were "very dramatic". However, the area of the explosion was closed until further notice in order to assess and repair the damage.