(INTELLIHUB) — If the Yellowstone supervolcano were to erupt, North America would be sent into a volcanic winter that could last decades, making for a virtually unrecoverable scenario. The proportions of such a disaster would be to a scale to which no one in the modern era has seen. Aside from a direct hit by an asteroid or a rogue comet, or dwarf planet close pass, a supervolcano eruption ranks among the worst possible disasters and has American scientists concerned.
According to a 2014 report out of the publication Praag, American scientists found South Africa, specifically the Karoo and Kalahari regions, would be ideal locations to house displaced U.S. citizens if the Yellowstone caldera were to erupt. Interestingly enough, the report also claims that U.S. officials handling the situation do not want to cause panic among the general public but have a “contingency plan” if the caldera goes near critical.
The report goes on to say that the African National Congress (ANC) turned down a trillion Rand deal that would have paid the ANC one-hundred million Rand per year under a ten-year contract spanning from 2014-2024, which is the timeframe American scientists identified Yellowstone’s lava dome would most likely erupt from the build-up of excessive hot liquid magma and gasses.
“The effect is the same as the extra buoyancy of a soccer ball that is filled with air underwater, after which it rises to the surface because the surrounding water is denser,” says Dr. Perrillat, whose referenced in the Praag piece. “If the volume of magma is large enough, it should rise to the surface and explode like a decomposing champagne bottle.”
The piece paints a picture illustrating how the ANC isn’t comfortable with outsiders seeking refuge, even in a time of crisis. This is evident because the ANC turned down the rather lucrative deal that would have been worth a whopping USD 69,741,410,000 by today’s numbers.
“[The ANC has] sympathy for the American challenge with Yellowstone, but we have our own challenges in South Africa,” says Dr. Sipho Mathetwe. “There are 200 million white people in America, and if too many of them flee to South Africa, it can cause a big problem, even if there is enough housing and infrastructure available. It will destabilize the country and may even bring back apartheid. South Africa is not for sale.”
According to the report, Argentina, Brazil, and Australia are currently under trillion-dollar contracts with the U.S. government until 2024.
United States Geological Survey says more than 400 earthquakes occurred in Yellowstone National Park in June, making it one of the most active months on record. In July, the park suffered several earthquakes above four on the Richter scale, adding a reason for concern.
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