monday, September 29, 1980
pago2
dally nebraskan
Mount St. Helens eruption
Prof essor says people didn't realize impact
By Julie Hintz
The first Mount St. Helens eruption was the
most-warned about geological event of the century, but
still people did not realize its geological impact,
according to an Arizona professor.
Thomas Saarinen, a geography professor at the
University of Arizona spoke Friday to the UNL Geography
Department. He has looked at geological hazard warnings.
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all over the worjd and has studied public reaction.
Initially, the National Science Foundation wanted to
finance $60,000 for research on'warnings and responses
from people in the Mount St. Helens area before the
eruption, Saarinen said. However, the eruption occurred
before his studies began.
As a result, Saarinen, who received a Ph.D. in geo
graphy from the University of Chicago, concentrated his
work on the disaster's aftermath. He conducted 100 inter
views with Washington officials about public reaction to
the warnings. He also handed out questionnaires to the
public, he said.
Tourists flooded the area before and after the eruption,
Saarinen said. Shops and information booths selling
T-shirts and souvenirs were abundant, he said.
"They were right on the button concerning where the
mountain would blow first, although the blast was bigger
than expected, so the radius of the ash fall was a little
off which meant more rivers were flooded" Saarinen said.
A federal emergency planning agency set up technical
information networks to inform the public about health
effects, and how to deal with the ash, Saarinen said.
"People started rumors which were not true, such as
the eruption would be a Hawaiian type in which a person
could stand and watch the lava flow. Networks tried to
clarify the facts so people knew what was going to
happen," Saarinen said.
"Roadblocks were put up everywhere, but to no avail.
Citizens proceeded. Officials often resorted to physical
force," Saarinen said.
He said that many of those missing after the eruption
were believed to be people curious about the whole
ordeal.
Saarinen said that after one cubic mile of matter was
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blown out of the mountain, most parts of the state
reported a lot of ash buildup.
"Highway patrolman brought cars Into town which
had gotten stuck on the highway. Many cars were ruined
because ash went into their air filters" Saarinen said.
Saarinen said that by wetting down the dustlike ash,
then grating it off the road was successful In removing
the ash, except when a heavy wind blew it back on the
roads. ,
Saarinen said that crop damage was rare because irriga
tion and rain assisted in washing off the plants. In some
regions, farmers reported above average amounts of
wheat. Home gardens were sprayed off with hoses, he
said.
No ash fallout effects
seen in state's crops
Agricultural experts in Washington are predicting
a big increase in wheat production this year jpecause
of the ash fallout from Mount St. Helens.
The ash has acted as an insulation against
moisture after rainfall.
This finding aroused a great deal of speculation
as to how the fallout has affected wheat and corn
production in Nebraska. UNL soil experts said, how
ever, that they have seen no effects of the eruption
on Nebraska agriculture.
Robert Sorenson, professor of agronomy, said,
"We have not done any study of the ash fallout here
at UNL, but its effect in Nebraska agriculture is
probably neglible."
As tar as ash being good for the soil, Saarinen said that
in some areas two or three years after an eruption, tree
ring analysis shows substantial growth, however, climate
is a big factor.
"Data on the effect of the eruption on weather will
be studied very closely," he added.
Saarinen said no one knows the long-term health ef
fects of breathing the ash, although no severe effects have
been reported. Persons with bad lung problems have
noticed some harsh symptoms though, he said.
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