U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for May 18

WASHINGTON, May 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

TUESDAY, MAY 18: MOUNT SAINT HELENS

Profile America — Tuesday, May 18th.  It was on this day 30 years ago that one of the most spectacular events in U.S. natural history occurred — as Mount Saint Helens in Washington state erupted, sending steam and ash more than 11 miles into the sky.  The eruption and resulting landslide lowered the top of the mountain by 1,300 feet.  The landslide moved at up to 150 miles-an-hour and buried some areas up to 600 feet deep, killing millions of fish and wildlife.  While 200 square miles of rich forest were turned into a moonscape, only 57 people were killed in the blast. That's the same number of fatalities caused by tornadoes alone in the month of February two years ago.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2010, p. 281

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 375

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau