Yellowstone National Park sees millions of visitors come through its gates every year to take in the natural beauty of its thermal pools and geysers. They must be admired from a distance, however, as even walking in some places is dangerous. But what happens when scalding water is coming toward you?
Visitors to Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin on July 23 quickly had to jump into action when they were faced with this situation. A hydrothermal explosion near Sapphire Pool, located near the iconic Old Faithful geyser, was caught on video as water and rocks spewed several dozen feet into the air and sent tourists observing the incident running in the opposite direction.
Video taken after the explosion shows just how badly destroyed the boardwalk was. While people were still walking on it in the immediate aftermath, the barriers to keep people from walking into the thermal pools were broken down.
The explosion prompted the National Park Service to temporarily close Biscuit Basin as well as the nearby parking lot and boardwalks. No injuries were reported and the damage is still being examined. NPS will work in tandem with the United States Geological Survey to "monitor conditions and reopen the area once deemed safe," according to an NPS statement .
It appears to have been an isolated incident and not a symptom of a larger problem underground at the park. "No other monitoring data show changes in the Yellowstone region. Today’s explosion does not reflect a change in the volcanic system, which remains at normal background levels of activity," the agency said.
Whenever you go to Yellowstone, make sure you follow all posted signs and stay on the boardwalks at all times, as they're there for your own good.
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