Washington Marks 41 Years Since Mt. Saint Helens Eruption

WASHINGTON — Tuesday marks exactly 41 years since May 18, 1980, when Mount St. Helens erupted in southern Washington.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) call it the worst volcanic disaster in the recorded history of the contiguous United States. It killed 57 people and caused more than $1 billion in damages. The eruption also triggered the largest landslide in recorded history, taking more than 1,000 feet off the mountain's top, and kicked up a smoke plume so massive it rose into the atmosphere and dumped ash on 11 states.

To commemorate the historic event, the USGS and other state agencies took the day to look back at how the world has changed in the 41 years since. According to the USGS, the Mount St. Helens eruption gave the whole world a new appreciation of the destructive power of volcanoes. But it didn't just teach us to fear: it taught scientists how to reclaim land from volcanic ashes, and how new plants and ecosystems turn barren landscapes into thriving new habitats.

And it inspired us to work together. The USGS says not only did the eruption capture the imaginations of a whole new generation of volcanologists, it prompted greater international scientific cooperation.

"Since 1980, hundreds of volcanologists from around the world have come to study Mount St. Helens," the agency said. "The relationships built with international colleagues, the advances in monitoring, and the accumulation of skills built through cooperative work at Mount St. Helens make it possible for U.S. scientists to aid with eruption responses in other nations."

It's also had a practical effect helping to protect Washingtonians elsewhere. For example, lessons learned from the 1980 eruption helped create the current volcano emergency response programs in Puyallup and other communities surrounding Mt. Rainier.

>> Read the USGS publication, 10 Ways Mount St. Helens Changed Our World.

Speaking of volcano emergency responses, state agencies are also using the anniversary to remind everyone to get informed about current volcano dangers, and set up an emergency supply kit before it's too late.

An emergency supplies kit should have at least one gallon of water per person for several days, a three-day supply of non-perishable food, a flashlight, first aid kit and extra batteries.

It should also include a battery powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio. That's because following an eruption, the National Weather Service will issue ashfall and lahar warnings. Ashfall can cause poor air quality, disrupt transportation and damage infrastructure, but lahars are the more immediate danger: they're mixtures of water and rocks that flow down the slopes of volcanos, depositing large amounts of sediment and levelling almost anything in their path.

On top of the disaster kit, the USGS also recommends every household make an emergency preparedness plan by designating responsibilities to each member of the home, choosing a place to meet following a disaster and setting an out-of-area emergency contact. The USGS also recommends having an evacuation plan in place in advance, including what route you'll take and where you'll stay. That way, if a lahar is coming, you already know how to get out.

>> Read more tips on earthquake preparedness from the USGS.

Fortunately, there are no warning signs of another Mount Saint Helens eruption right now, and Washington State Parks are more than happy to invite visitors to come check out the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.