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Mt. St Helens--------------------Volcanic Eruption-------------------18th May 1980
Location: NW America, part of Cascades mountain range.
Cause: Destructive boundary (Juan de Fuca plate sub-ducting below N. American plate).
Effects:
- Landslides of rock, ice & soil filled most of spirit lake.
- Pyroclastic flows killed vegetation and wildlife to the North.
- 61 people killed.
- Floodwaters washed away roads and railway bridges.
- Electricity supplies were interrupted.
- Ash settled on towns , people in Yakima had to wear face masks to go outside.
Kobe----------------------------------Earthquake--------------------17th January 1995
Location: Southern Honshu, Japan.
Cause: Destructive boundary (Philippines plate sub-ducting under Eurasian plate).
Effects:
- Measured 7.2 on Richter Scale & lasted 20 mins.
- 200 000 building collapsed.
- 1km of Hanshin Expressway (elevated main road) collapsed.
- Fires burned for days (broken gas pipes & wooden houses!!!).
- Severe traffic jams delayed emergency services.
- 5500 people killed. Factories closed (Mitsubishi & Panasonic).
Solutions: Stricter building regulations & improved prediction technology.