Alaska volcano could be waking up, small earthquakes occurring near summit

Small earthquakes occurring on Alaska volcano

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A volcano near Anchorage could be waking up.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory says a series of small earthquakes began occurring early Monday near the summit of Mount Redoubt, about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage.

Scientists do not know if the earthquakes will result in the volcano becoming explosive, but they say there is a heightened possibility. Last year, the volcano was very active for months, at times producing huge ash plumes and sending mud flows down its flanks.

Rick Wessels, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, says the Mount Redoubt earthquakes are not connected to Sunday’s 7.2-magnitude quake in Mexico just south of the U.S. border because the distances are too great.

(This version CORRECTS APNewsNow. corrects that volcano was active for months, not explosive)