One short term effect of the Mount St.Helens eruption is that 1300 feet was blasted off the top of the mountain. This would have a great effect because that would all break up into ash and encircle the Earth, which would stop heat and light from the sun coming into the atmosphere. As a result, the greater effects of Global warming would have been delayed for a few years.
Another short term effect of the Mount St.Helens eruption is that power supplies were cut off and that ash got into water supplies. Consequently, it would have led to contamination of the water and the spread of disease.
One final short term effect is that 230 square miles of forest burned and got destroyed. This would have a great effect on the logging industry because there would not be as many trees for them to cut down. In addition to this it would have a great effect on wildlife as 1000s of animals' homes would have been destroyed.
My first long term effect of the Mount St.Helens eruption is that lodges would have had to be closed down. This would have an impact on the economy because if the lodges were closed down then there would be nowhere for tourists to come and stay there for they would lose money.
Another long term effect of the Mount St.Helens eruption is that 57 people died. This would have lead to lots of families being devastated.
My final long term effect is that ash settled 15cm deep this would have an effect because when it rained you would get lots of mud flows and it will but growing trees or crops for next year very hard.
Comparing the Mount St.Helens eruption with the eruption of Mount Pinatubo is that in Mount St.Helens only 57 people died where as approximately 700 people died in the Mount Pinatubo eruption. This is because Mount Pinatubo is situated in a LEDC (Less Economically Developed Country), where as Mount St.Helens is an MEDC (More Economically Developed Country), which means that they would not have as much preparation as to what to do in the event of a volcanic eruption therefore more people would get hurt. However in the eruption of Mount Pinatubo there were advance warnings of the volcanic eruption where as there were none for the Mount St.Helens and because of this Mount Pinatubo managed to evacuate 15000 people before the eruption. In conclusion a MEDC like Mount St.Helens is more likely to cope better with the effects of the eruption better than an LEDC like Mount Pinatubo.
