Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System

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Map of Vulnerable Areas on Mount Rainier

The Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System consists of two separate components that are executed one after the other: the Acoustic Flow Monitors (AFM) (a type of noise monitoring) and the sirens of the all hazard Alert Broadcast (AHAB). The AFM system was developed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in 1998 and is now operated by Pierce County Emergency Management, which also operates the sirens. The purpose of the warning system is to assist in evacuating the population in the river valleys around Mount Rainier in the event of a lahar occurrence . The Pierce County partners with the USGS, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) ( seismic network of the Pacific Northwest ), the Emergency Management Division of the Washington Military Department and South Sound 911 together to monitor the system and operate.

history

Mount Rainier as seen from the High Cedars Golf Course in Orting on the Carbon River

The Mount Rainier is an active volcano in the US state of Washington . Around the summit there are sections of river valleys that have been buried by so-called lahars (volcanic landslides). The Puyallup River Valley is at greatest risk. Tens of thousands of people live in areas that have less than 40 minutes to a maximum of 3 hours to get to safety in the event of a larger lahar being discovered. The system must be robust enough to be able to issue the warnings immediately and comprehensively; the people living in the lahar drainage paths are being trained on how to respond to the warnings and take preventive measures.

Geologists consider Mount Rainier to be the most dangerous mountain in the United States. In October 2006, the USGS estimated the chance of a catastrophic lahar escaping from Mount Rainier in the next 75 years at 1 in 7.

Pierce County Emergency Management and the USGS have made plans to further develop AFM technology and further distribute the sirens. You have been working on a multi-year project to improve the system since 2017.

Components

One of the many signs on the evacuation route for volcanic eruptions or lahars around Mt. Rainier

Acoustic Flow Monitors (AFM): An automated system detects lahars through the use of a network of small sensors called Acoustic Flow Monitors (AFM). These sensors are anchored underground to measure vibrations caused by passing lahars. Computer-controlled base stations in the Washington State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) continuously analyze the signals from the field sensors. If a lahar is discovered, the computer alerts the local emergency monitoring and alarm centers manned around the clock, which activate the warning components of the system. Warning messages trigger prepared emergency response plans immediately.

All Hazard Alert Broadcast (AHAB) Sirens: The Mount Rainier Lahar Sirens are part of a general emergency communications system in Pierce County. The focus of the sirens is to warn residents in the Puyallup River Valley of a necessary evacuation due to a volcanic disaster stemming from Mount Rainier. The sirens are activated when the volcano is in danger. The residents are instructed to clear the valley floor and go to higher places by car or on foot. The sirens are tested at noon on the first Monday of each month; they howl for about five minutes for the test. In the event of an actual event, the sirens would wail until the batteries were empty or destroyed.

Alerting process

  • The Washington Military Department's Emergency Management Division and South Sound 9-1-1 operate the AFM detectors and are responsible for setting off the lahar alarm.
  • Once triggered, the alarm is broadcast by TV and radio stations such as NOAA Weather Radio. More than two dozen sirens in cities from Orting to Tacoma (in its port) would be activated.
  • Residents can subscribe to alerts through the Pierce County Alert. This free service allows fire brigades, the police and other actors to deal with emergency responses and to send accurate, up-to-date information.

Reflection in the media

  • A 2006 episode of the History Channel's Mega Disasters series entitled "American Volcano" was about the effects of a catastrophic lahar in the wake of a Mount Rainier eruption.
  • An episode of The Weather Channel's It Could Happen Tomorrow series discussed what would happen if Mount Rainier erupted and caused a lahar.

literature

  • Lisa M. Pinsker: Paths of Destruction: The Hidden Threat at Mount Rainier . In: American Geological Institute (ed.): Geotimes . April 2004 ( geotimes.org ).
  • Ray Miller-Still: Mount Rainier's lahar warning system gets upgrades . In: Courier-Herald . January 13, 2017 ( courierherald.com ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ About South Sound 911 , accessed September 28, 2018.
  2. ↑ a b c USGS: Volcano Hazards Program CVO Mount Rainier . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  3. ↑ Eric Sorensen: Rainier: Danger at our door . In: The Seattle Times , May 16, 2000. Retrieved March 8, 2009. 
  4. ↑ Jim Gorman: 5 Natural Disasters Headed for the United States . In: Popular Mechanics . October 2006. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
  5. ↑ Jessica Lee: Mount Rainier to get new digital warning system for massive mudflows (en-US) . In: The Seattle Times , January 2, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2018. 
  6. ↑ a b c Alert & Warning | Pierce County, WA - Official Website ( en ) Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  7. ^ Pierce County Alert. In: Pierce County, WA - Official Website. civicplus.com, accessed June 11, 2018 .