Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: JimSEA

As I recall: if Mount Rainier (14,400 feet) were to blow, the entire mountain would simply be gone (just a hole in the ground) - not like St Helens which only blew off part of the top. Seattle and Tacoma would just ‘disappear’ under the debris and mud flows.

Few would listen, as they would need to evacuate Tacoma, Olympia, Seattle, and many other small cities and towns.

As of some years ago, they were only semi-prepared to deal with the historic mud flow patterns from previous eruptions, No one was even contemplating the effect of the amount of pressure needed to push magma up under the mass of Mount Rainier.

Hard to predict the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) of a Mount Rainier eruption, but in would certainly be one or two orders of magnitude greater than Helens VEI of 5. Think a 1991 Pinatubo (VEI 6 - 10X St Helens) or a 1815 Tambora (VEI 7 - 100X St Helens) in a heavily populated area.


3 posted on 07/18/2014 3:25:40 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: PIF

I certainly recall the predictions of mud flows through Tacoma and other areas. The flows caused by Mount St. Helens were scary enough. I wouldn’t want to see that in populated Washington areas. I think there were some that totally wiped out a small city in Columbia some years back.


4 posted on 07/18/2014 4:39:18 AM PDT by JimSEA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson