Undersea volcano off USA coast could be a big threat this year. Swelling raises fear of 2025 eruption
Oregon, known as Axial Seamount, will likely erupt in 2025. Situated in the northeast Pacific near Cannon Beach, Axial Seamount is the region’s most active submarine volcano, with recorded eruptions in 1998, 2011, and 2015. Due to its predictable activity and proximity to land, it was chosen as the site for the New Millennium Observatory, the world’s first underwater volcano monitoring station.
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Rising 1,100 meters tall and spanning a diameter of 2 kilometres, Axial Seamount lies 1,400 meters below sea level. What sets this event apart is the advanced warning, a rarity in volcano monitoring. Unlike the typical short-notice alerts issued mere hours before eruptions, this prediction reflects a significant breakthrough in volcanic science.
Researchers have identified clear signs of impending volcanic activity at Axial Seamount. Monitors indicate that the volcano's surface is inflating, a phenomenon caused by the movement of magma. This inflation is a strong precursor to an eruption, according to William Chadwick, a geologist from Oregon State University. During the American Geophysical Union’s December 2024 meeting, Chadwick revealed that the volcano’s surface has risen to 95 per cent of its pre-eruption level from 2015, underscoring the likelihood of an imminent event.
Axial Seamount, last active in
