Mount St. Helens is still being monitored in case of a possible eruption. 130 small earthquakes below the mountain were registered to have occurred since March.
Ranging from a magnitude of 0.5 to 1.3, the frequency of the earthquakes has been increasing significantly in the last weeks, establishing an average of 40 per week.
Is there any apparent danger?
What scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey believe is occurring is that the magma chambers beneath the volcano are recharging. According to experts, there is no current threat for an eruption, but Mount St. Helens is still active and capable of erupting.
The last eruption of Mount St. Helens occurred on 1980, killing 55 people and causing over $1 billion in environmental and structural damages. It was located on southern Washington State, between the cities of Seattle and Portland, Oregon. It was one of the most disastrous volcanic explosions of the 20th century. The energy expelled on the explosion was equal to that of 27,000 Hiroshima bombs.
Signs of eruption include ground inflation and shallow seismicity, none of which have been detected. It seems that the process of recharging the magma chambers can continue for quite some time without an eruption.
The “swarm” of small earthquakes is common on active volcanoes. The telluric events occur as the magma chambers fill. One of the ways to mimic the phenomenon, according to Forbes’ columnist Trevor Nace, is to apply a mud mask on your face. Wait for it to dry and then puff your cheeks. The dry mud should crack, and you should also feel a pulling sensation along your skin as the pieces separate, mimicking the layers of rock and gravel behind Mount St. Helens.
The explosion of Mount St. Helens in 1980 was the greatest that has occurred in the United States. The explosion was preceded by two months of ongoing earthquakes. The ashes coming from the explosion managed to reach 11 different states.
The ongoing volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens has kept geologists aware as it is one of the most-closely monitored active volcanoes in the Americas. In short, there is no evidence or sign of an eruption occurring anywhere near this year 2016.
Source: Fox News