Mount St Helens

Description

Mount St Helens

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Context

According to a US Geological Survey (USGS) estimate, around 400 earthquakes have been reported beneath Mount St Helens since mid-July.

About

It is a volcanic mountain in southwestern Washington, United States of America's Cascade Range.
It is part of the broader Ring of Fire in the Pacific.
The volcano formed throughout four eruptive stages beginning around 275,000 years ago and was the most active volcano in the Cascade Range during the Holocene period.
Its May 18, 1980 eruption was one of North America's most powerful volcanic explosions ever recorded.
Important information regarding the Pacific Ring of Fire
The Circum-Pacific Belt, often known as the Ring of Fire, is a line along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
It follows the tectonic plate boundaries of the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Indian-Australian, Nazca, North American, and Philippine Plates.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. The Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped zone encircling the Pacific Ocean, is known for its intense geological activity, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Discuss the geological processes that led to the formation of the Ring of Fire and the implications of this region's dynamic nature on the countries it encompasses.