Mt St Helens, a volcano in Washington State, had a huge eruption on May 18, 1980. The eruption caused billions of dollars in damage, and 57 people were killed. Far from the worst volcanic eruption on record, but one of shocking. Ever since then, Mt St Helens has been viewed like a hawk, and more than a couple of installment loans went into repairing the damage.
Mt St Helens 1980 eruption
In March of 1980, Mt St Helens was shaken by a series of earthquakes after being dormant for over a century. For the next two months, the mountain was closely monitored. A Richter magnitude 5 earthquake shook the volcano on May 18. A landslide on the north face opened a vent to the interior. Gas, magma, rock and other debris blasted out of the side.
The blast
A pyroclastic blast traveling at the speed of sound exploded out of the side as a result of the landslide. The debris was shot 20 miles away. 17 different pyroclastic flows leaked out of the side following the first explosion. Two weeks after the explosion and flows, the pyroclastic material that flowed from the volcano nevertheless was 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
The damage
Material flowed out of the volcano up to 20 miles away. Mud flow and debris flows clogged river systems, causing floods and causing extensive damage to river systems. The volcano spewed forth over a cubic mile of debris. A total of 57 individuals died; 200 homes, 27 bridges, 15 miles of railroad track and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. President Carter declared the landscape as desolate as the lunar surface.
Continuing affects
An ash cloud extended 12 miles into the atmosphere. Washington State was covered with ash, with the city of Yakima getting a heavy coat by the next day. The city of Spokane, almost 300 miles away, had all visibility reduced to 10 feet, and was plunged into a primordial darkness by the ash. Ash was reported as far away as New Mexico and Minnesota. Airports were forced to ground flights as a result, like the recent Iceland volcano eruptions did. The energy released by the blast was 1,600 times a lot more powerful than the nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. The mountain was left over 1,000 feet shorter and with a crater almost 2.5 miles wide. Smaller eruptions and occasional activity nevertheless occur. The Mt St Helens eruption caused over $ 1 billion in damage. It was among the worst natural disasters in US history, and one a lot more reminder that Mother Nature can be a cruel mistress.
Citations
Mt St Helens
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_eruption_of_Mount_St._Helens
