Volcanoes: Destruction Makers Natural disasters are tragic events caused by nature that have a negative impact on man. Volcanoes can be considered one of the worst types of natural disasters because they often kill people, injure people, and/or destroy property. One example of a volcano is Mount Saint Helens. “A volcano is an opening in Earth’s crust through which ash, gases, and molten rock from below ground erupt onto Earth’s surface or into the atmosphere” (Kobasa).
Volcanic eruptions result from magma (molten rock below the ground). Magma usually forms 30-120 miles beneath Earth’s surface. It rises because it is less dense than the surrounding rock. Rising magma can collect below or inside a volcano in a region called a magma chamber. …show more content…
It is located in the Cascade Mountains, 95 miles south of Seattle. Mount Saint Helens violently erupted on May 18, 1980 (Child). “Mount Saint Helens began to erupt at 8:32AM and continued to erupt for nine hours straight” (“Mount St. Helens Erupts”). Due to Mount Saint Helens, 57 people were killed and there was $1.1 billion in damage (“Fast Facts”). “Most of the people killed were killed by asphyxiation from the lateral blast. The hot gases scorched their lungs” (“Eruption Features”). This means that the people became unconscious because of the inadequate amount of oxygen. “There were also 23 people missing and presumed dead” (“Saint Helens”). Mount Saint Helens was measured using the Volcanic Explosivity Index. “It had a VEI of 5, but just barely” (Watson). The eruption resulted in many environmental damages. “It melted snow on the upper slopes of the mountain which led to flooding and mudslides. These washed away buildings, roads, and bridges” (Child). This resulted in a mass chaos. Forest fires started and millions of trees were flattened (Child). The entire north side of the mountain was blown off due to the blast which caused an avalanche. Over 388 square kilometers of the surrounding forest was wiped out because of this (“St. Helens, Mount”). “Over 1,000 feet was blown off and it left a huge crater” (“Fast Facts”). “Mount Saint Helens caused the largest debris avalanche on Earth (“USGS: Volcano …show more content…
The matches need to be in a waterproof container so they don’t get ruined if flooding should occur. Paper plates, paper utensils, and plastic cups are needed in case the power goes out and you can’t use the dishwasher. You need bottled water in case the treatment plant lost power which may make the tap water unsafe to drink. To find out what’s going on, you’ll need a radio that doesn’t require electricity. Another way to prepare for a volcano is to have an evacuation plan. When you find out about the volcano, immediately get your things together and head to another location. It can be a relative or a friend’s house as long as they don’t live in the state where the volcano is located, or a bordering state. “Choose a spot near your home and practice getting there. Also choose a spot out of town in case you can’t get home. Practice getting there from anywhere you frequently are” (“Call”). You should be aware of some warning signs for a volcano. Some warning signs may include earthquakes near the volcano, or if the mountain starts smoking. There are some things that you should do before, during, and immediately after the volcano
Volcanic eruptions result from magma (molten rock below the ground). Magma usually forms 30-120 miles beneath Earth’s surface. It rises because it is less dense than the surrounding rock. Rising magma can collect below or inside a volcano in a region called a magma chamber. …show more content…
It is located in the Cascade Mountains, 95 miles south of Seattle. Mount Saint Helens violently erupted on May 18, 1980 (Child). “Mount Saint Helens began to erupt at 8:32AM and continued to erupt for nine hours straight” (“Mount St. Helens Erupts”). Due to Mount Saint Helens, 57 people were killed and there was $1.1 billion in damage (“Fast Facts”). “Most of the people killed were killed by asphyxiation from the lateral blast. The hot gases scorched their lungs” (“Eruption Features”). This means that the people became unconscious because of the inadequate amount of oxygen. “There were also 23 people missing and presumed dead” (“Saint Helens”). Mount Saint Helens was measured using the Volcanic Explosivity Index. “It had a VEI of 5, but just barely” (Watson). The eruption resulted in many environmental damages. “It melted snow on the upper slopes of the mountain which led to flooding and mudslides. These washed away buildings, roads, and bridges” (Child). This resulted in a mass chaos. Forest fires started and millions of trees were flattened (Child). The entire north side of the mountain was blown off due to the blast which caused an avalanche. Over 388 square kilometers of the surrounding forest was wiped out because of this (“St. Helens, Mount”). “Over 1,000 feet was blown off and it left a huge crater” (“Fast Facts”). “Mount Saint Helens caused the largest debris avalanche on Earth (“USGS: Volcano …show more content…
The matches need to be in a waterproof container so they don’t get ruined if flooding should occur. Paper plates, paper utensils, and plastic cups are needed in case the power goes out and you can’t use the dishwasher. You need bottled water in case the treatment plant lost power which may make the tap water unsafe to drink. To find out what’s going on, you’ll need a radio that doesn’t require electricity. Another way to prepare for a volcano is to have an evacuation plan. When you find out about the volcano, immediately get your things together and head to another location. It can be a relative or a friend’s house as long as they don’t live in the state where the volcano is located, or a bordering state. “Choose a spot near your home and practice getting there. Also choose a spot out of town in case you can’t get home. Practice getting there from anywhere you frequently are” (“Call”). You should be aware of some warning signs for a volcano. Some warning signs may include earthquakes near the volcano, or if the mountain starts smoking. There are some things that you should do before, during, and immediately after the volcano