What were some facts about Mt. St. Helens eruption in the1980s?

Question

To conclude that Mt. St. Helens was very destructive...
what would be some strong support that would go with my main idea?

PLEASE HELP ME!
I already know a some:

>The earthquake that caused the eruption was a 5.4 on the richter scale
>59 people died from the eruption
>Only 4 of thos people were in the danger zone
>Mt. St. Helens caused a mud slide
>Many cities who thought they were far from Mt. St. Helens were wrong. The ash blocked the sun... so people cannot breathe the air.

PLEASE, help me think of one more fact!!!!!

Thank You!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

There was someone named Harry Truman (not the president) who lived on St. Helens, and refused to leave when it became active. He died in the eruption, or so they believe (how could he not have?). His death gave him the only fame he probably ever had.

Answer 2

At 8:32 Sunday morning, May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted.

Shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. Nearly 230 square miles of forest was blown down or buried beneath volcanic deposits. At the same time a mushroom-shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward and drifted downwind, turning day into night as dark, gray ash fell over eastern Washington and beyond. The eruption lasted 9 hours, but Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscape were dramatically changed within moments.

In 1982, the President and Congress created the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument for research, recreation, and education. Inside the Monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to the disturbance.

Prior to 1980, Mount St. Helens formed a conical, youthful volcano sometimes known as the Fuji-san of America. During the 1980 eruption the upper 400 m of the summit was removed by slope failure, leaving a 2 x 3.5 km horseshoe-shaped crater now partially filled by a lava dome. Mount St. Helens was formed during nine eruptive periods beginning about 40-50,000 years ago and has been the most active volcano in the Cascade Range during the Holocene. Prior to 2200 years ago, tephra, lava domes, and pyroclastic flows were erupted, forming the older St. Helens edifice, but few lava flows extended beyond the base of the volcano. The modern edifice was constructed during the last 2200 years, when the volcano produced basaltic as well as andesitic and dacitic products from summit and flank vents. Historical eruptions in the 19th century originated from the Goat Rocks area on the north flank, and were witnessed by early settlers. (Description from the SI/USGS Global Volcanism Program)

Answer 3

The blast was a lateral one instead of a vertical one ( it came out out of a buldge on the side instead of out of the top like was expected. ) This is why so many people died, because the safety zone were not erected far enough away from the blast.

By the way ash blocking the sun would not make it so people could not breathe. Breathing ash is why they could not breathe. It causes a seriouse lung condition called Silicosis. Breathing in the ash particales (mostly made of glass) scars the lungs and can lead to death.

Answer 4

The land was barren and black for months - it was covered by a thick layer of volcanic ash. Nothing could grow in the area.

Answer 5

it blowed up real good