Monday, May 17, 2010

May 17, 1980



Mt. St. Helens, May 17th, 1980. Ash-shrouded and quiet.



From the USGS Mt. St. Helens 30th Anniversary site:
The mountain remained quiet. Seismic activity reached the lowest level for May, with only 18 earthquakes larger than 3.0 recorded, including 6 larger than magnitude 4.0. In response to pressure from property owners and with the Governor's consent, law enforcement officials escorted about 50 carloads of property owners into the Red Zone to retrieve possessions. Those who entered were required to sign liability waivers at the roadblocks and to leave by nightfall. Authorities agreed to allow another caravan of property owners in at 10:00 a.m. the following morning, May 18.