Hazard information management, interagency coordination, and impacts of the 2005-2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano
Dissemination of volcano-hazard information in coordination with other Federal, State, and local agencies is a primary responsibility of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO). During the 2005-6 eruption of Augustine Volcano in Alaska, AVO used existing interagency relationships and written protocols to provide hazard guidance before, during, and after eruptive events. The 2005-6 eruption was notable because of the potential for volcanogenic tsunami, which required establishment of a new procedure for alerts of possible landslide-induced tsunami in Cook Inlet. Despite repeated ash-cloud generating explosions and far-traveled ash clouds, impacts from the event were relatively minor. Primary economic losses occurred when air carriers chose to avoid flights into potentially unsafe conditions. Post-eruption evaluations by agencies involved in the response indicated weaknesses in information centralization and availability of specific information regarding ash fall hazards in real time.