East Pierce County school districts to participate in lahar evacuation drill
Students and faculty in five east Pierce County school districts will participate in a massive lahar drill Friday.
A lahar, or mudflow, is composed of rocks, soil, vegetation, water and debris that flows down the slopes of a volcano and typically enters a river valley, according to the United States Geological Survey. Lahars can occur with or without a volcanic eruption.
Mount Rainier is an active volcano, and the USGS predicts a lahar event to occur in the next 500 to 1,000 years. If one occurred, communities along the Puyallup and Nisqually river valleys would be in danger.
Starting at 9 a.m., students in the Puyallup, Orting, Sumner-Bonney Lake, White River and Carbonado Historical school districts will walk lahar evacuation routes along with faculty and first-responders.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/east-pierce-county-school-districts-to-participate-in-lahar-evacuation-drill/ar-AAWJGEB
Here's what western Washington residents should know about lahars
SEATTLE - Western Washington is virtually surrounded on its eastern flank by volcanoes, a natural feature that is perhaps as wondrous as it can be destructive.
Mount Rainier, Glacier Peak, Mount Baker and Black Buttes are the three most northern of these volcanoes, reminding us how devastating eruptions and lava have shaped the land we call home.
While they may seem asleep under a cap of snow today, they can still cause a certain potentially damaging phenomenon to occur. These are called lahars.
What is a lahar?
Derived from an Indonesian term, a lahar is a hot or cold mixture of water and rock fragments that run down the slopes of a volcano, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/here-s-what-western-washington-residents-should-know-about-lahars/ar-AAWI0gp