On May 18, 1980, Mt St Helens, a volcano in southwest Washington State erupted. The eruption caused billions of dollars in damage, and 57 people were killed. It was not the worst eruption ever, but it nevertheless was shocking. Ever since then, Mt St Helens has been viewed like a hawk, and more than a few installment loans went into repairing the damage.
Mt St Helens Eruption
Mt St Helens had been dormant for over a century, but began having earthquakes in March of 1980. Close monitoring started at that point. An earthquake with a magnitude above 5 on the Richter scale hit the volcano. It triggered a landslide on the North face, which provided an outlet for the intense heat and pressure inside the volcano. The side of the mountain exploded, sending super heated gases, magma, rock and other debris out of the side of the volcano.
The explosion
The landslide triggered a pyroclastic blast from the volcano’s side which shot out at the speed of sound. Materials ejected by the blast spread over 20 miles. Following the first explosion, 17 further pyroclastic flows belched forth from the bowels of the volcano. Two weeks following 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.
Ripple effects
The ash cloud from the eruption was 12 miles tall. Washington State was covered with ash, with the city of Yakima getting a heavy coat by the next day. Spokane, Wash., was plunged into total darkness, with a visibility of about 10 feet. Ash fell as far south as New Mexico and as far east as 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 more powerful than the nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. The mountain was a lot more than 1,000 feet shorter and left a crater almost 2. Occasional smaller eruptions and activity have occurred given that. Over $ 1 billion in damage was done by the Mt St Helens eruption. For all her beauty and bounty, Mother Nature is indeed the harshest of mistresses at times.
Sources
Mt St Helens
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_eruption_of_Mount_St._Helens
