Perilous Beauty, about the risk of lahars from Mount Rainier,
was produced by the
USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Perilous Beauty: The Hidden Dangers of Mount Rainier
Volcanic activity, enormous landslides, and glacial erosion have
continuously re-shaped Mount Rainier's magnificent cone. These natural
processes have also sent large and dangerous mudflows rushing down all river
valleys leading away from the volcano.
Understanding the nature of these past events is key to reducing our risk
from Mount Rainier's future activity. This 29-minute video uses computer
animation, eruption footage, interviews with scientists, and vivid aerial
and ground shots of the mountain to show how mudflows from Mount Rainier
can affect communities in Western Washington.
- Hundreds of lava flows erupted over the past 5600 years have built
the summit cone that now crowns Mount Rainier. Today, volcanic heat from
within the mountain keeps the crater rim free of snow during much of the
year.
- Large landslides from Sunset Amphitheater and other parts of the volcano
have generated mudflows throughout recent history. Future landslides
and mudflows are inevitable, and areas likely to inundated by these flows
have been mapped by scientists.
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Reducing Volcanic Risk,
about the risks posed by volcanos, was produced by
(IAVCEI) and (UNESCO).
Reducing Volcanic Risk
This videotape showcases how people can lower their risk from volcanic
activity.
Three steps can volcanic eruptions from becoming volcanic
disasters:
- Identify Hazard Areas
- Monitor Volcanos
- Develop an Emergency Plan
Stunning video of volcanos from around the world shows how these three steps
saved lives when they were used. Reducing Volcanic Risk also
describes the critical elements of emergency plans that made the difference
between life and death for tens of thousands of people living in the shadows
of active volcanos. People must be informed of the volcano hazards they
face. Scientists and public officials must announce warnings clearly. And
emergency plans must be tested and practiced ahead of time and used without
hesitation when a volcano threatens to erupt.
This 20-minute eductional program and its companion, Understanding
Volcanic Hazards, produced by
the International Association of Volcanology and Chemisty of the Earth's
Interior (IAVCEI) and the United Nations Educational Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
are intended to help prevent future deaths from volcanic
eruptions.
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