Large Igneous Province

Most of us know about an asteroid hitting the Earth and wiping out the dinosaurs, but most people don't know that the Earth nearly got devastated by a large igneous province that formed in Siberia 250 million years ago. Now, imagine that we had to deal with a colossal LIP like that today. How much damage would it cause? Urban areas would be decimated by the rift, causing extensive destruction. And those quakes? They're just the preview. Next, the lava makes its grand entrance. Once here, it's on the warpath. Farmland needed for raising crops would be incinerated. Bodies of water like lakes, streams and rivers would be vaporized if there was enough lava. And depending on how fast the lava flows, endangered species would be wiped out if they couldn't relocate in time. It would also devastate the economy. Schools, businesses and hospitals would be ravaged, along with infrastructure like highways, power generating facilities, gas lines and water mains. And that beautiful new house you bought? It's covered in lava. Your new car? It's under lava. And what about you? Well, according to Oregon State University, lava moves on a flat slope, like Hawaii's Mount Kilauea, at a maximum of 10 km/h (6.2 mph). The average speed people walk at is 5 km/h (3.1 mph) and average running speed is about 13 km/h (8 mph). So if you were good at track and field, now's your time to shine.