Mt St Helens

Question 1

Why?

Answer 1

Destructive plate margin

Juan de Fuca plate meets North American plate

Question 2

When & where?

Answer 2

May 18th 1980
Washington state
USA

Question 3

Immediate responses

Answer 3

Roads cleared of ash (1m deep)
2 million gas masks provided
National guard flew helicopter rescue missions into blast zone for 2 weeks (rescued 130 people)
Clearing of ash in nearby towns such as yakima in 3 days

Question 4

Long term responses

Answer 4

Toutle, cowlitz, Columbia rivers were dredged to prevent flooding
Over 10 million trees replanted
Volcano is monitored constantly by the USGs
Attract tourists back to area

Question 5

Short term effects

Answer 5

Spirit lake filled
Earthquake 5.1 on Richter scale
Every tree in 250km destroyed
57 killed
250 homes destroyed

Question 6

Long term effects

Answer 6

Repairs cost $2.74 billion
12% crops destroyed- loss of income
Small eruptions continued until 1986
Vegetation destroyed so no food for elk, deer, bears
Access to area difficult due to destruction of infrastructure