The Nation - News from May 27, 1985

Earthquakes of increasing intensity and strength rattled Mt. St. Helens as pressure built toward an eruption expected within days, scientists said in Vancouver, Wash. “We have increased earthquake activity through the day and we are still building to that eruptive activity we expect,” said Chris Jonientz-Trisler, who monitors seismic activity for the University of Washington geophysics center in Seattle. Earlier, scientists had said that the lava dome in the mountain’s crater was continuing to give off heat, but had not grown significantly overnight.