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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Mount St. Helens calm on anniversary of eruption

Mount St. Helens is shown in this 2004 aerial photo,  looking east with Mount Adams in the background. The stark landscape on the east side of the national monument provided a setting for filming the post-apocalyptic movie “The Road.”  (File Associated Press)
Mount St. Helens is shown in this 2004 aerial photo, looking east with Mount Adams in the background. The stark landscape on the east side of the national monument provided a setting for filming the post-apocalyptic movie “The Road.” (File Associated Press)

VOLCANOES -- No rumblings from Mount St. Helens today, the 31st anniversary of the volcano’s explosive eruption that killed 57 people -- and created a fascinating new landscape to explore.

The jagged snow-covered crater has been mostly quiet since the most-recent dome building eruption ended in 2008, leaving a mound in the crater.

Scientists at the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver say Mount St. Helens probably will have another dome-building eruption within the next several decades.

U. S. Geological Survey scientist Cynthia Gardner says the volcano has a history of destroying and rebuilding itself.

The Columbian reports scientists believe the magma under the mountain is more likely to cause dome-building eruptions rather than another explosive blast.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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