The Mt. St Helens eruption in Washington state m 1980 measured 5 on the volcanic exclusivity index (VEI). Only 57 people died from the Mt. St Helens since most people were warned to evacuate the area prior to the event, Four years later, in 1985, del Ruiz in Colombia erupted. While only measuring 3 on the VEI, the eruption resulted in 25,000 deaths when unsuspecting residents of local towns were overrun by fast-moving lahars. Which of the following statements about volcano-related deaths best fit the information given in the paragraph? a. Volcanic eruptions often kill thousands of people.
b. The death toll from volcanic eruptions do not always correlate to exclusivity, and can be affected by human actions before and after the eruption.
c. Most volcano-related deaths occur from lahars.
d. The death toll from a volcanic eruption is directly related to its volcanic exclusivity index (VEl).