Mt St Helens Case Study

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When did the Mount St Helens eruption take place?
18th May 1980
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How many people were killed by the eruption?
61
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What was the main cause of death?
The release of poisonous gases
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The eruption flattened trees within how many square km?
250 square km
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How many trees had to be re-planted?
10 million
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Why were river temperatures raised following the eruption?
because hot ash fell into the rivers
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How were farmers affected by the eruption?
Ash settled on their crops, killing them. The area was also flooded. However the eruption may improve the fertility of soil in the long term.
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Why was rescue work difficult?
because communications had been cut due to flood water and falling ash. Roads and bridges had been washed away and car engines became faulty due to the ash.
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What were a)the immediate and b)the long term responses to the euption
a) attempted evacuation b)repairing of bridges and infrastructure and tree replanting.
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Why did Mt St Helens erupt?
because of the release of pressure that had built up at the destructive plate boundary between the Juan de Fuca plate (oceanic) and the North American plate (continental)
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What was an effect of the eruption on wildlife?
Nothing survived within the blast zone. (25km to north)
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Why was the eruption so destructive?
Because it produced pyroclastic flow
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

How many people were killed by the eruption?

Back

61

Card 3

Front

What was the main cause of death?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

The eruption flattened trees within how many square km?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

How many trees had to be re-planted?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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