The terrifying moment of a giant explosion at Yellowstone National Park was captured by tourists as they ran for their lives.
Biscuit Basin, located just north of Old Faithful, erupted around 10 a.m. MST, sending a massive column of superheated water and debris shooting into the sky.
Vlada March, from California, was visiting the park with her mother and filmed the event, showing dozens of visitors moving quickly along a boardwalk just inches from the hot springs.
The National Park Service has closed all access to Biscuit Basin while geologists investigate the event.
The terrifying moment a giant explosion occurred in Yellowstone National Park was captured by tourists as they ran for their lives
Biscuit Basin, located just north of Old Faithful, erupted around 10 a.m. MST, sending a massive column of superheated water and debris shooting into the sky.
March rose the Video for Facebooksharing: ‘Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park just exploded right in front of us.
“The boardwalk was destroyed. My mother took some debris, but everyone is safe. It’s incredible and I’m grateful to be alive.”
The Californian also shared a clip of what happened, revealing the wooden walkway in pieces and the area flooded with water.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has confirmed that a small hydrothermal explosion has occurred in the Biscuit Basin thermal area.
This event occurs where “shallow, interconnected reservoirs of fluids at or near boiling point temperatures lie beneath thermal fields,” the USGS shared.
‘These fluids can quickly turn into vapor if the pressure drops suddenly.’
The agency also noted that no injuries have been reported.
The National Park Service said it has not detected any other changes in the Yellowstone region.
“Today’s explosion does not reflect a change in the volcanic system, which remains at normal levels of activity,” the agency said in a statement.
Vlada March, from California, was visiting the park with her mother and filmed the event, showing dozens of visitors moving quickly from a boardwalk just inches from the hot spring, which was destroyed.
The National Park Service has closed all access to Biscuit Basin while geologists investigate the event.
USGC echoed the park’s statements, saying that “hydrothermal explosions like today’s are not a sign of impending volcanic eruptions, and are not caused by magma rising toward the surface.”
Rangers said they did not know when the boardwalk might reopen.
While the event caused chaos in the park, Biscuit Basin experienced a previous eruption in May 2009.