Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier, both in Washington state, have both been classified by a federal agency as a “very high threat” for an eruption.
The rating system combines the threat of an eruption with the proximity to high populations and potential impact.
Both Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier are in the top five, along with Redoubt Volcano in Alaska and Mount Shasta in California; at the top is the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii, which erupted earlier this year. The United States has more than 10 percent of the world’s known active and potentially active volcanoes within its territory, the researchers noted.
‘Explosive’
While the lava flowing from Kilauea caused serious damage, an expert noted that the volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest explode.The report notes that eleven of the 18 “very high threat” volcanoes are located in Washington, Oregon, or California, “where explosive and often snow- and ice-covered edifices can project hazards long distances to densely populated and highly developed areas.”
Besides killing people, volcanoes inflict severe damage in the surrounding environment, killing trees, animals, and plants; choking major riverways; and destroying roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. The danger has gotten higher in recent years as populations near a number of volcanoes have risen.
1980 Eruption
Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, shaken by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake.Some 200 homes were destroyed or damaged and eight bridges were destroyed.