NSC Volcano Watch: Mount St Helens

[Easy 10]

Whoah, just caught the tail-end of a documentary on ITV about a crater lake in Cameroon which ruptured through some volcanic activity one night in 1986, releasing a load of carbon dioxide gas. The gas rolled down the hillside straight into a village, killing every single one of its inhabitants. 1700 people choked to death within minutes.

Nature eh ? Every now and then it flexes its muscles and reminds you who's really in charge of this planet.

 

[St.George]

You have to wonder why anyone would seriously consider buying a house near a volcano, kind of asking for it really isn't it?

or in falmer. seeing as at anytime in the near future a local football team will cover the entire village in concrete!

 

[Beach Hut]

The USA volcanic specialists totally got it wrong last time Mount Helena blew.

If you read Bill Brysons recent book they failed to spot the fact there was no vent so it blew from the side. The guy on "Eruption Watch" died very quickly after the initial explosion the lucky one was the guy who should have been there but went for an interview elsewhere on that fateful day.

In a bizarre twist the one that died at least phoned through the exact time of eruption, I think he died within 13 minutes of the full eruption.

 

[brighton rock]

live volcano

 

[Beach Hut]

live web cam

No volcano Rocky for me

 

[US Seagull]

 

[coach03]

"Play Up Pompeii, Pompeii Play Up"

 

[brighton rock]

the web cam is on this web site

duck and cover

 

[dougdeep]

Doesn't work for me.

 

[dougdeep]

It does now you've updated it.

 

[Juan Albion]

VANCOUVER, Washington (CNN) -- Mount St. Helens began blowing a large cloud of smoke and steam Friday afternoon following a week of close monitoring by scientists.

White ash also spewed from the volcano for a short period, but no magma has been detected.

Officials placed the region around the mountain on a volcanic advisory on Wednesday.

The advisory that was issued is the third of four levels -- with the fourth being eruption.

The volcanic dome within the crater of the mountain has moved about three inches since Monday, according to U.S. Geological Survey geologist John Major.

Friday's event was described as a small explosion by geologist Tom Pierson. It could be the first of larger events, including an eruption, or it could be the end of a recent pattern of activity.

Pierson said the event "was really a hiccup. [Eruptions] could be a little bigger once real magma is involved."

 

[brighton rock]

 

[Donny Osmond]

My god that's a big fly.

 

[timseagull]

From the BBC
Small eruption shakes US volcano
Mount St Helens 1 October 2004
No casualties were reported
Mount St Helens volcano in Washington state has erupted for the first time in nearly 20 years.

The mountain spewed ash and steam thousands of feet into the sky, although there was no sign of lava.

The sudden burst was nowhere near the scale of a 1980 eruption, which resulted in the deaths of 57 people.

The last eruption occurred in 1986, but caused little damage. Seismologists have warned of more volcanic activity in the coming days or weeks.


There were no casualties reported in the latest eruption and the mountain calmed down after about 20 minutes.

Government scientists - who have been closely watching the volcano after a flurry of small earthquakes a week ago - say the alert has been raised to level three out of a maximum of four around the volcano.

They say the lava dome formed after the 1980 eruption has swollen slightly and cracks have begun to appear across the glacier inside the volcano's crater.

Mount St Helens
The latest eruption was relatively small

"Whatever triggered this event was not magma that reached the surface," Jon Major, a US Geological Survey researcher told Reuters news agency.

"If the seismicity starts to ramp back up and goes back to the levels we've seen prior to this event, then it is a harbinger that we are not finished yet," he said.

But he added that if seismic activity tailed off then perhaps the volcano would return to its previous, quieter state.

The eruption nearly 25 years ago sent half a billion tons of ash into the air, leaving Portland in Oregon - the nearest major city at a distance of about 80km (50 miles) away - covered in a thick layer of the volcanic debris.

 

[Sergi Gotsmanov]

Quote below from the BBC.

Brace yourselves , its about to blow.
(as the actress said to the bishop)




Mount St Helens volcano in Washington state is likely to erupt again very soon, scientists have warned.
The threat level has been raised to "volcano alert" - the highest eruption risk level indicating there is a risk to life and property in the area.

 

[tedebear]

I lived for a few years North East of Mt St Helens and its beautiful lake (well it used to be before she erupted) its an amazing sight to visit. There was never any doubt that it would blow again - when i visited it was snowing heavily, quite incredible with the snow...

 

[Strike]

Yeah its still being reported, on ITV that its about to blow, very worrying.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

webcam has just died!!!!

BAG

 

[St.George]

looks smokey to me!

webcam working btw

 

[brighton rock]

10 oclock monday night

web cam is working but is taking loads of hits