US to Upgrade Volcano and Earthquake Monitoring
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said on Friday the U.S. government will spend $15.2 million to modernize equipment for monitoring U.S. volcanoes and improve warning systems.
The United States and its territories have 169 active volcanoes, and 54 of them need improved monitoring so scientists can warn the public about explosive disruptions, alert aircraft to ash clouds and inform communities of falling ash, lava and mud flows, Salazar said.
He pointed out that the March 22 eruption of the Mount Redoubt volcano, 106 miles (170 km) southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, showed the need for adequate monitoring.