| The 1980 cataclysmic eruption of Mount St. Helens in southwestern Washington ushered in a decade marked by more worldwide volcanic disasters and crises than any other in recorded history. Volcanoes killed more people (over 28,500) in the 1980's than during the 78 years following the 1902 eruption of Mont Pelee (Martinique). Not surprisingly, volcanic phenomena and attendant hazards received attention from government authorities, the news media, and the general public. As part of this enhanced global awareness of volcanic hazards, the U.S. government significantly expanded the Volcano Hazards Program of the U.S.Geological Survey in response to the eruptions or volcanic unrest during the 1980's at Mount St. Helens (Washington), Mauna Loa and Kilauea (Hawaii), Long Valley Caldera (California), and Redoubt Volcano (Alaska). ... This publication summarizes the Volcano Hazards Program -- its goals, the activities designed to achieve these goals, some key accomplishments of the past two decades, and a plan for work in the 1990's. -- Wright and Pierson, 1992 |
