After a powerful geyser explosion left panicked tourists scrambling for cover on Tuesday, Yellowstone National Park is announcing they are closing the Biscuit Basin area for the season.
No one was injured in the blast at Black Diamond Pool, which was caused by hydrothermal conditions and not volcanic activity, the park said Wednesday. Small explosions of boiling water from the area continue to be possible over the coming days to months, and it will be off-limits to visitors for the duration of the season.
A preliminary report released by the park and the U.S. Geological Survey said that sudden and massive explosion was caused by a sudden transition of water to steam in the shallow hydrothermal system beneath Black Diamond Pool just before 10 a.m. on Tuesday. The report also stated that there were no signs or signals that would’ve predicted or gave warning about the precipitating event.
The blast was powerful enough to send a dark cloud of steam, mud and debris hundreds of feet into the air, destroy a nearby wooden boardwalk section and spew grapefruit-sized rocks up to hundreds of feet from the source, the report states.
“Some blocks closest to the explosion site are about 3 feet (1 meter) wide and weigh hundreds of pounds,” the report reads.
Park officials say scientist will continue to monitor the area and work is underway to repair the damaged boardwalk.
They are hoping to have the area open by next season.
