How would you survive the Yellowstone Caldera, Supervolcano eruption?

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   colorfuloneposted 8 years ago

   How would you survive the Yellowstone Caldera, Supervolcano eruption?
   
   I recently watched the movie "Supervolcano" on Netflix. Realizing that if the Yellowstone Caldera does blow as predicted, that I best have a better survival plan.
   
   I live in northern Minnesota near the Canadian border. What kind of survival plans does one make for a disaster of such magnitude?
   
   
   
   

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   Cynthia Hooverposted 8 years ago

   I am in West Virginia, I do write about prepping. The fall out from the ash cloud is likely far enough away that I will be okay - yes I did the math (kind of scares the crap out of me to be honest).
   
   The problem with this scenario lies in the aftermath, the lack of sunlight will create low temperatures and nothing is going to grow with out the sun. The ash is a concern as far as breathing too - it will be like fine glass when inhaled, making your best bet to stay put (wherever that is).
   
   So you need to figure out, how far away you are from the fallout of the ash cloud and plan accordingly after that. If you ware within range then you will really need to look into staying put - but planning and prepping accordingly as well. Food and water are your key to survival. In this event it is unlikely the grid will be intact - not a global outage mind you but depending on your location you can be effected. That being said, you also need to think about air filtration if the ash cloud will be in your area as well. The red cross website has a lot of info on what you would need to stock up on for many different natural disasters! Food and water, food and water! I have not watched "Supervolcano" yet, but there are several other good doomsday related shows on Netflix too (not the preppers - ones with actual scenarios and scientists explain how one would survive). There are so many things that you need to take into account when prepping! No two preppers are the same either, you know what you need better than anyone can tell you what you should store and prepare. Keep in mind if you have any medical conditions, you should look into medicinal herbs that treat the conditions as well - so you will have a backup if you have to "bug in" and wait out the ash cloud.

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      colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, Cynthia. I just read your hub, "Doomsday Prepping "Bugging in" Sustainability and Preparedness Basic Survival At Home". I will be reading more of your in-depth and researched material and recommended sites.

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   Stargrrlposted 8 years ago

   You wouldn't---if you were anywhere near the blast.  I was actually thinking of writing a hub on what would happen if the volcano erupted, and I might.  Basically, I believe that a full scale eruption would destroy America.  Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, would die.  Our crops and agriculture would be utterly destroyed, because it would be covered in ash.  The sky would rain ash over most of the country--DC would even experience some falling.  It is dangerous to breathe ashes and the gases that would come from this explosion.  In the Yellowstone area, the sun would be blotted out, and no one would survive within about a hundred miles of the epicenter.  Scientists have been surveying the volcano 24/7 and monitoring it, but I don't think you can escape a full scale eruption.  I think that if it does happen, there may be some earthquakes, but I don't think they'd be able to evacuate everyone in time.  And as said before, the midwest would be covered in ash--so our crops and farm animals would die, and we would be at the mercy of other countries to come to our aid in this time of crisis.  I don't know that America would survive that.  If you are real scared, I suggest stock piling cans of stuff in your pantry, and stay away from the Yellowstone area. I don't know that you can prepare for such an event.

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      colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It sounds like it would just be a matter of time for those in the states who do survive if they do not have a clean water source. At any rate, its best to be prepared for lesser natural disasters. It is a lot to think about.

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   LillyGrillzitposted 8 years ago

   If the Caldera explodes, it will probably cause Tectonic Plates to separate. The ash cloud has been mentioned previously - fires, floods (of steaming hot rock) and an upheaval of a lot of land may be the result. Another thing that is probable is that other faults will join in the fray, shifting our globe like a proverbial deck of cards. Depending on how far the ash and clouds travel, it may cause substantial cooling as well, meaning another Ice Age on a good portion of the planet.
   
   Like Stargirl says, the odds of surviving that explosion will be very low. Our Earth will be changed again. Different Continents, everything will change. It will be the end of a Geologic Period.

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      Stargrrlposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I didn't know that it would be that severe!  Scary!

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      LillyGrillzitposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I am a hoot at parties (not). I know it is not considered polite to add links to another person's item, but if you would like to see according to the USGS map http: //volcanoes .usgs. gov/ observatories /yvo / is the http address.

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      Stargrrlposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I'm using your answer in my new hub.  Hope you don't mind.  I will credit you.

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      colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      In other words, it would be Doomsday?
      
      Thank you for that link. Interesting site.

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      LillyGrillzitposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      According to the geologists assigned to the Yosemite Caldera they say there is not much to worry about. According to rock evidence and other Geo patterns, I would say it is a powder keg. It could maybe not blow in our lifetime...

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   wychicposted 8 years ago

   I live in Wyoming -- I wouldn't . When I lived in Powell (roughly 70 miles from Yellowstone) I was told the estimated survival in the event of an eruption would be 9-13 seconds. Now that I have the Bighorn Mountains between me and "ground zero," I might even get as much as 30 seconds. Considering the extent of such a catastrophe, though, those of us near the park may be lucky to be the first ones to go if it ever happened. For anyone who survived the initial blast, the volcanic winter would be ungodly -- I'm guessing deep shelter, a protected water source and a way to guard livestock from both cold and other survivors would be the first priority. Next, finding edible mosses and mushrooms that could survive underground; surface growth doesn't seem likely anytime soon after such an explosion. Finally, the texture of the ash has been discussed, but one must also remember that volcanic eruptions dispel a lot of poisonous gases as well. Major air filtration without significant power sources definitely seems like it'd be a considerable challenge.

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      colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Rebecca, that sounds bleak for people living in Wyoming. Major concerns for all of you so close to Yellowstone. A lot will depend on the wind's direction though. I just hope it does not blow.

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   lollyj lmposted 8 years ago

   I live in Kansas so don't expect to survive a Yellowstone eruption.  Most people don't have the financial capability to move to locations that might be safe or build safe shelters.  Anyone who survives will have much more to worry about than the initial eruption and gases.  As most commenters pointed out, the long term effects will be deadly.

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      colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Laurel, wouldn't it be nice if the government was building shelters with supplies to house the masses of people in case of a supervolcano.

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