Long-Awaited Eruption of Mt. St. Helens Starts Quietly

Scientists reported a new flow of molten rock on Mt. St. Helens’ huge lava dome today, indicating that a predicted eruption of the steaming volcano has begun.

There was no indication of any explosive activity, but Steve Brantley of the U.S. Geological Survey said the apparent start of a quiet, “dome-building” eruption does not preclude possible explosions.

The new eruption was the first for the southwest Washington volcano since a quiet oozing of lava on Sept. 10, 1984.

That quiet spell had been the longest since the mountain stirred to life in March, 1980, in an explosion that blew 1,300 feet off the peak, devastated 230 square miles of land and left 57 people dead or missing. Ash from the eruption fell over much of the Pacific Northwest, and an ash cloud drifted around the globe.

Brantley cautioned that the pattern of the mountain’s current activity is different from previous dome-building eruptions, and scientists were making no predictions about what would happen next.

“About 8:45 a.m., a crew did a fly-through the crater around the lava dome, and reported a small lava flow,” Brantley said.