00:00Scientists at the United States Geological Survey are monitoring a troubling new development at
00:05Mount Saint. Helens in Washington state increased seismic activity that is raising fresh questions
00:11about whether the volcano is awakening again. This week marks the 46th anniversary of the
00:17catastrophic 1980 eruption that killed 57 people, flattened 230 square miles of forest,
00:24and sent ash across 11 U.S. states. Now, geologists are detecting elevated earthquake swarms
00:30and small ground deformation signals beneath the crater. Volcanic seismic swarms are a common
00:36precursor to eruptive activity. Though scientists caution, they do not necessarily mean an eruption
00:42is imminent. The USGS has maintained the volcano at a heightened watch level and is closely monitoring
00:49gas emissions, ground movement, and seismic data in real time. The Pacific Northwest remains
00:55one of the most volcanically active regions in the continental United States. Seattle,
01:00Portland, and dozens of communities in Washington and Oregon sit within potential ashfall corridors.
01:07An eruption at the scale of 1980 today would be one of the most consequential geological events
01:13in modern American history.
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