Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Small earthquake shakes up Mount St.Helens
This news may be a week old, but I think its still interesting. Apparently there is still some activity at Mount St. Helens. A magnitude 3.0 earthquake rattled Washington's Mount St. Helens, triggering a rockfall and sending an ash plume above the rim.
"This is the largest quake that has occurred in some time, and its exact cause is under debate," according to a statement from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Earthquake activity sometimes precedes volcanic eruptions, but scientists can't yet make firm predictions from the seismic activity.
While the volcano has been relatively quiet lately, a lava dome inside the main crater continues to grow. Minor eruptions of ash and volcanic gas have been common.
An eruption "could intensify suddenly or with little warning and produce explosions that cause hazardous conditions within several miles of the crater and farther downwind," says the USGS.
Mount St. Helens sprang back to life last fall with a series of strong eruptions that spewed ash miles into the sky.
"This is the largest quake that has occurred in some time, and its exact cause is under debate," according to a statement from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Earthquake activity sometimes precedes volcanic eruptions, but scientists can't yet make firm predictions from the seismic activity.
While the volcano has been relatively quiet lately, a lava dome inside the main crater continues to grow. Minor eruptions of ash and volcanic gas have been common.
An eruption "could intensify suddenly or with little warning and produce explosions that cause hazardous conditions within several miles of the crater and farther downwind," says the USGS.
Mount St. Helens sprang back to life last fall with a series of strong eruptions that spewed ash miles into the sky.
# posted by kevin : 9:10 AM
