a scarrrrry experiance which has been resolved (Mount St. Helens)

Member Name: luced

Product:	Mount St. Helens
Date:	14/06/08 (15 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: the issues have been resolved

Disadvantages: was a huge devistation

Mt. St. Helens erruption information (1980) - had been growing in size since 37,500 years ago

08:32 18th May 1980 - Mt. St. Helens erupted a mile beneath the surface of the volcano.
This caused a huge landslide of about 23 square miles
Travelled at about 70-150 mph and buried North Folk Toutle River with 600 foot of debris
The blast deposit covered 230 square miles around the volcano
Results of the blast: enough wood to build 300,000 two bed roomed
houses was
felled by the blast's debris
57 deaths
Debris was about 350 degrees which caused deaths
The lahar (mud flow) travelled at 10-25mph damaging homes, bridges, railways and roads
The cloud of ash reached 80,000 feet in 15mins
This cloud spread across the US in 3 days and spent 15 days going around the Earth
It covered 22,000miles
10 miles away from the volcano, the ash fell to 10inches thick
60 miles away the ash was 1 inch thick
300 miles away the ash was ½ an inch thick
Pyroclastic flow covered 6 square miles
It travelled at 50-80mph and was 700 degrees C

The eruption happened because the cone of the volcano grew in size until it exploded from the pressure that the ground was put under.

Wildlife
Estimated 7,000 game animals were killed
40,000 salmon poisoned in the rivers

Definitions
Lahar: mud flow
Pyroclasts: airborn volcanic rocks which when they fall to the earth cause pyroclastic flows.
Nuee Ardent: superheated cloud of dust and gas. Can engulf communities.

Summary: a natural disaster that caused huge destruction