The event -
Without warning a powerful earthquake begins to shake Yellowstone Park and within moments huge incandescent hurricanes known as pyroclastic flows, which can cover thousands to tens of thousands of sq km in thick deposits of hot ash, cover the area. No living beings caught in the pyroclastic flow survive. However, these dramatic local effects are not of greatest worldwide concern. Globally, most repercussions come from the effects of the volcanic ash and volcanic gases suddenly released into the atmosphere.
Volcanic ash fallout from the super-eruption has severe effects over the continent. Volcanic ash disrupts many kinds of crops. The super eruption covers tens of millions of sq km in several centimetres of ash.
America will soon exit the world scene leading to a new world without the US.
2007[]
America in November 2007 Red=Texas, Blue=California, Dark Blue = area under complete US control, Light green = area with some or no US control.
In February USGS scientists in charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (Y.V.O), present to a crowd on Yellowstone's seismic activity. They state during the presentation, using a fictional holographic projector known as Virgil, that Yellowstone is on the verge of an eruption, though neither major nor hazardous.
Throughout March, more and more signs of seismic activity occur, all indicating towards the imminent eruption of Yellowstone (such as geyser explosions, earthquakes, tsunamis and Old Faithful going silent). Geologists and the federal government try to avoid public panic by saying that these seismic activities do not necessarily indicate an imminent volcanic eruption. However, media speculation raises public alarm. As seismic activity increases, a leaked government e-mail acknowledging a possible eruption causes widespread panic.
America is caught by surprise when the volcano violently erupts, spewing tonnes of rock and pyroclastic material into the sky. Most people within a thousand miles of Yellowstone are killed or injured as a result of attempting to outrun the pyroclastic flow, including President Bush who is caught in the ash cloud as he returns from a vacation.
Tension begins to rise at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (F.E.M.A.) as more and more vents open above the underlying magma chamber throughout the week-long eruption. On Day Three the ash destroys the second Y.V.O. base in Bozeman, killing the F.E.M.A team there. People are literally being drowned in the volcanic ash and the death toll rises to hundreds of thousands. Slowly, thermal images begin to reveal a contour of the new caldera produced by the vents and authorities begin to realise the seriousness of this problem. Very soon, the authorities become desperate, trying to find a way to save the trapped Americans in the central and western half of the country. At F.E.M.A. many researchers worry that even after 2500 cu km of magma had come out, that it could still go on because Yellowstone has a maximum capacity of 25,000 cu km, ten times the amount already ejected and that the entire caldera could explode after the collapse. Luckily, things take a better turn just as all hope is nearly lost: the caldera collapses upon itself, indicating the decrease in pressure within the magma chamber, and it doesn't explode.
As it turns out, the eruption ends with three-quarters of the United States covered in nearly one centimeter of volcanic ash on average as a looming cloud of suspended, lighter ash gets carried over the globe, engulfing the northern hemisphere of Earth, and as a result, plunging it into a volcanic winter. The southern hemisphere however, gets a dose of the ice age while the rest of it is in a drought.
After one week 200,000,000 Americans are without electricity and without food without any hope of help. Mexico and Canada face millions of refugees. Mexico allows in around a million before closing its border. Canada allows in more than three time that before closing hers. Millions of Americans set up camps on these borders, others desperately head to the east. But with ash raining down around fifty million simply cannot leave their homes.
In a fortnight 100 million are dead through the blast, ash, starvation, or suffocation. All airspace in the USA has to be cleared, the US has lost all power, the farm belt suffers the worst harvest ever with around only 0.1% of crops and livestock survive. The east coast is clogged with refugees and this shows no signs of stopping.
After three weeks those three quarters of the USA are experiencing societal collapse. Massive riots begin all over America. In a bunker in Florida the government declares martial law. By this point the death toll has reached 150,000,000. America pleads for help from the rest of the world but they are having their own problems. Almost all over the world crops decline, the world temperature drops by nearly one degree and the economy suffers the worst crash ever. Quickly most countries cancel their debt to America and declare martial law, they know that a crisis is coming.
Exactly a month after Yellowstone's eruption the United States of America is facing real danger of collapse. Texas and California, which are worried that their states economies will suffer catastrophically with America, announce their devolution and autonomy. Although they aren't actually split from America they are in almost all. The European Union meets and drafts a crisis prevention bill. All EU nations will still have domestic control of their countries but all economic, military and other power will be transferred to the new state of the European Union. All other countries in Europe join. Russia is invited but refuses.
Russia has followed the EUs example though and creates a strong internal market. There are talks of a united Africa but these die down. NATO withdraws all troops from Iraq and Afghanistan leading to an Iranian occupation of Iraq and a joint occupation of Afghanistan by Pakistan and Russia.
2 months after Yellowstone and the situation in the USA is continuing to get worse. Although airspace has cleared and the ash has stopped falling, three fourths of the USA is in anarchy. Gangs of thugs roam the countryside, military bases are raided, typhus is spreading and mass starvation is a danger. Mexican and Canadian troops have to force back people trying to enter. Texas and California declare their independence and close their borders. The eastern part of America experiences crowded slums and massive riots which lead to thousands of police dead. Scientists predict America will experience a social collapse in 2010.
4 months later and it seems that this will be the case as the situation only deteriorates. In the west and central United States the death toll has risen to two hundred million. There is no food and a volcanic winter puts the west and centre under 30 degrees. Canada also experiences this sharp fall but as its infrastructure is intact it copes better. In 3/4ths of the USA there is almost no law and order as warlords dominate large areas. California and Texas have coped a bit better but the typhus outbreak leads to epidemics in their countries as well as America. President Cheney soon realises this cannot just be ridden out as America is in serious danger of falling into complete anarchy.
2008[]
At the beginning of 2008 President Cheney introduced a series of reforms. There was no longer any freedom of press, only one daily newspaper: The American could be published. This was a government written 30 page paper. All industries including health facilities were nationalised. All property was nationalised and everyone would live from now on in council housing. Ration Cards would be introduced to all. A curfew from 22:00 - 06:00 would be effective immediately. And probably most importantly, Cheney would remain president until he saw it fit to run the next election, many called this Stalinism in fact.