Scientists Warn that Underwater Volcano Off Oregon Coast is ‘Primed to Erupt’ in 2025

Researchers monitoring Axial Seamount, an active underwater volcano located approximately about 292 miles off the Oregon coast, have forecasted an eruption in 2025.

This prediction is allegedly based on comprehensive real-time data collected over the past decade.

The active volcano last erupted in April 2015. This eruption was significant as it was detected in real-time by instruments installed as part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Cabled Array, marking the first time an underwater eruption was monitored live, Ocean Observatories Initiative reported.

Prior to this, Axial Seamount erupted in 1998 and 2011. Since the 2015 eruption, scientists have observed the volcano’s gradual re-inflation, which indicates magma recharge.

As of March 2024, the seamount was reported to be 90-95% re-inflated to its pre-2015 eruption level, suggesting that another eruption could be forthcoming.

Daily Mail reported:

Experts made the prediction on December 10 after detecting seafloor swelling around Axial that mimicked a level seen immediately before an eruption in 2015.

Seismic activity has also increased, with hundreds of earthquakes generated around the volcano per day and earthquake swarms greater than 500 per day.

‘Based on the current trends, and the assumption that Axial will be primed to erupt when it reaches the 2015 inflation threshold, our current eruption forecast window is between now (July 2024) and the end of 2025,’ researchers said in the new study.

The team first noticed the swelling in November using a suite of tools to meticulously monitor this volcano’s activity, collecting real-time data about its rumbling, shaking, swelling and even tilting.

Located on the Juan de Fuca ridge, Axial is the most active underwater volcano in the northeast Pacific.