An underwater volcano off the coast of Oregon may be about to erupt for the first time in nearly a decade

A submarine volcano located about 300 miles off Oregon’s coast may be on the verge of erupting for the first time in nearly a decade.

Scientists have detected over 1,000 earthquakes per day in the area, indicating that molten lava may soon burst from the seafloor.

Axial Seamount, a prominent underwater volcano in the Pacific Ocean, is showing increasing signs of activity. Researchers have observed the structure swelling — a clear indication that an eruption could occur anytime between now and the end of the year, according to NBC News.

“This volcano is similar to ones in Hawaii that erupt very fluid lavas,” said Bill Chadwick, a volcanologist and research professor at Oregon State University.

“They tend to inflate like a balloon in between eruptions. At Axial, the sea floor is actually rising, and that’s a big signal.”

Axial Seamount last erupted in 2015, releasing a massive amount of magma. One lava flow from that eruption measured an astonishing 450 feet thick.

“For reference, that’s about two-thirds the height of the Space Needle in Seattle,” Chadwick noted. “That’s a lot of lava.”

Despite its explosive potential, the volcano poses no danger to people. Positioned 4,626 feet below sea level, it’s so deep that any eruption may not even be visible from the ocean’s surface.

“Even if you were out on a boat right over the seamount when it’s erupting, you probably would never know it,” Chadwick told NBC News.

Axial Seamount lies between two diverging tectonic plates, and the pressure from their separation fuels volcanic activity. Over the past 30 years, it has erupted three times — in 1998, 2011, and 2015.

However, Axial isn’t the only geological threat lurking in the Pacific Northwest.

A recent study has warned that hundreds of miles of coastline — stretching from northern California to Vancouver, Canada — could drop by six feet or more if the Cascadia Subduction Zone experiences a major earthquake known as “The Big One.”

This massive fault line lies about 100 miles off the North American coast and spans roughly 600 miles.

Fortunately, the Cascadia Subduction Zone is “located quite a distance away” from Axial Seamount, Forbes reported, reducing the likelihood of a devastating one-two seismic event.

Source: nbcnews.com; edition.cnn.com; nypost.com