U.S. Geological Survey
Predicting volcanic eruptions 43 years after the Mount St. Helens blast
Forty-three years ago today, Mount St. Helens erupted, triggering a magnitude 5 earthquake and spewing ash, mud and debris across southwest Washington. The explosion killed 57 people and changed the mountain’s landscape forever. The eruption wasn’t a total surprise. Months before, a series of small earthquakes and steam-venting alerted scientists that a major blast was […]