PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 3 (UPI) -- A red alert remained in effect around Mount St. Helens Sunday as all signs pointed to additional eruptions occurring in the near future.
Scientists continued to monitor the restless Pacific Northwest peak for tremors, airborne gases and increasing heat levels in the lava dome that would indicate the mountain was about to blow.
The volcano alert level for Mount St. Helens remained red, the highest state of alert there is, and people in the area along the Oregon-Washington state line were urged to brace for possible ash clouds.
Mount St. Helens erupted with tremendous force in 1980, blowing out a large chunk of the mountainside and showering nearby Portland with heavy ash. Any imminent eruption is expected to be much less severe, although it would likely hurl rocks and ash over the immediate area.
