BLOWING OFF STEAM

Were you around in 1980?  The big event that year was the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington State. What a blast!

This mountain encloses a volcano that blew it's top on May, 18 that year.  It was the worst ever volcano eruption in the U.S. with regard to lives and property lost.  Fifty-seven were killed and 250 homes destroyed.  Standing northeast of Portland, Oregon and southeast of Seattle, Washington, it took out forty-seven bridges, fifteen miles of railroad track and about 200 miles of highway.  The height of the mountain was reduced by 1,300 ft after the dust settled.  Oh yes, the dust, volcanic ash from the eruption darkened the sky for days in parts of North America.    

The eruption lasted for 9 hours and shot ash 14 miles into the air.  The episode was set off by a series of earth quakes effecting that part of the Rockies.  Could it happen again?  Of course it could.