Survival after Super Eruptions

So, apparently a few people worry about the after effects of a super eruption such as from Yellowstone. As I previously posted here there are considerable hazards from volcanoes, but a super eruption poses more problems than these, and also these problems over much larger areas.

This is a picture showing the ashfall that has occurred from some of the Super eruptions, those of Yellowstone and Long Valley:



As can be seen, the dangers of ashfall extend a long way from the volcano itself. The total extent may be even larger, as small deposits can easily be buried later and hidden. A very small amount of ash either in the air or around airports are severe dangers to aviation, for example British Airways Flight 9 was very lucky not to crash due to damage to it's engines by volcanic ash.
Obviously, due to the large volume of ash, the amount of ashfall would be very heavy on the nearby areas, considerably larger than anything ever seen before.

The sulphur emitted also creates acid rain, and cools down the planet in a volcanic winter, similar to a nuclear winter, different only in cause.

As a result of volcanic winter, food can become scarce, and this can create more familiar survival problems, but in areas affected by the ash it will be an even larger problem than usual, as only stored food will be truly safe, as ash can get everywhere due to its small size.

Obviously I put 'after' in the subject title, as during it shelter is best, unless your really close, where the only option is to run, or similar to get away really quickly.

Actually, your picture looks SMALLER than I figured it would be.

I thought the ashfall and poisonous gasses would engulf the entire country - including the North East - due to wind currents.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Actually, your picture looks SMALLER than I figured it would be.

I thought the ashfall and poisonous gasses would engulf the entire country - including the North East - due to wind currents.

Like I said in the first post, the total extent may be larger, as it gets thinner and so on. In the Supervolcano docudrama they had a figure of a centimeter of ashfall around the east coast I believe, but I can't find that level of detail anywhere else.

What you SHOULD be worried about is the LOCAL volcanoes, inactive but could become active. Why? Air currents. In my state the air currents change so rapidly and so randomly that there is a good chance I might not even get any ash. So if those 3 blew, pending on air currents people in Canada may need to be worried not me, if it comes MY WAY, I am lucky againt: I live in a vacume. Literally. The valley I live in has high winds when you get about 100ft. off the ground, thus all planes fly at rooftop level in my valley, even the boarder patrol helis. Anything that blows from the WEST of my current position will be a mass torrent going EAST. Because of this, I will get LESS ash, the lighter stuff will be carried UP and AWAY from me. However the heavier stuff is still: "SOL buddy." Due to changing winds though, we have a lot or little to fear in the end. All pending on where we live. My state by the way is New Mexico on that map. I live in an area littered with small trees that would hamper the dust fallout if the winds pushed it through my valley, thus giving me a better chance.

None the less, for those 3 to blow or even one, there is going to be MAJOR techtonic movement that will probably hit us LONG before the ash ever does. So once again, be more worried about secondary volcanoes, and shockwaves than the volcano itself unless you live close to it.

If an event like a supereruption occurs; I think it would be the same scenario as a nuclear exchange. "The survivors will envy the dead!"

In looking at what occured in the St Helens disaster zone assuming that you survive the blast and gas etc. I would think that finding potable water would be the next biggest task. The immdeiate areas around the blast zone were in essence barren and lakes were basically mud.

You would have to get as far away from ground zero as possible.

Originally posted by FredT
In looking at what occured in the St Helens disaster zone assuming that you survive the blast and gas etc. I would think that finding potable water would be the next biggest task. The immdeiate areas around the blast zone were in essence barren and lakes were basically mud.

Thats a good point, I didn't think of water needs. I would think bottled water would be best, sort of like after Katrina I think the water supply got contaminated. But even that is no good unless you can beat the ash cloud to get away, for which you would need some sort of vehicle, and depending on the amount of warning the roads could still be gridlocked, which would be a huge problem.

From all I have read about that particular volcanoe and caldera's, if people are in the immediate area they are done. It has been a fer piece of time since my last geology class, but as i remember calderas are ass kickers. If I lived near that I think i would head out now, it seems like there is some serious uplift, and some rumbling as of late going on in the depths below. There was a show on Discovery about it and it frightened me a little, it sounds like it doesnt matter where you are in the country we all feel the effects of that puppy going up. I think as one poster stated the living would be envious of the dead.