‘3rd Most Dangerous Volcano in the US’

“Scientists know Mount Rainier will eventually awaken as Mount St. Helens did in 1980. It could gradually build up and explode, or part of it may collapse. It could happen in 200 years, or it could happen tonight.

‘People get burned by these kind of events because they think it can’t happen in their lifetime,’ said Willie Scott of the

U.S. Geological Survey.

The agency ranks Mount Rainier as the third most dangerous volcano in the nation, after Kilauea on Hawaii’s Big Island and Mount St. Helens. Both are currently active.

Other studies call Rainier the most dangerous volcano in the world — not just for its explosive potential, but because of the 3 million people who live in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area. At least 100,000 people live on top of Rainier mudflows that have solidified.” (Yahoo! News)