Days before the 30th anniversary of the famous Mount St. Helens eruption, Mount Hood ha a swarm of earthquakes.

The largest was a 3.0 about noon Friday, centered about 11 miles east of Mount Hood Village, 3.5 miles below ground.

It stopped me in the middle of what I was doing and wondering what was that, said Mandy McMillin. who was working at the Mount Hood Adventure Shop. I felt the whole building kind of do a little shift . . . I mean it sounded more like a noise above us. not necessarily below us.

Government Camp resident Chris Jennings was outside. It was quick it was like 3, 4 seconds.

Scientists with U.S. Geological Survey said swarms of small earthquakes have been quietly shaking Mount Hood for the last month.

The Mt.Hood quakes even registered on the seismographs at Mount St. Helens, where USGS scientists are gearing up for the 30th anniversary of the famous 1980 eruption there.

They say earthquake swarms happen on Mount Hood several times a year, but they will play close attention to the latest swarm.

One half of your brain is going okay this is like xyz seismic swarm we ve seen in the past, and the other half of your brain going what do we need to prepare for if the seismic swarm doesn't end, said Cynthia Gardner with USGS.

In 2004, the reawakening of Mount St. Helens started with a seismic swarm and ended with an eruption.

Scientists don't think that's what's happening on Mount Hood right now. But it is a reminder that it was once an active volcano and it could, some day, rumble back to life. has compiled an extensive collection of slides, raw video, recollections and the original hour-long news broadcast of the eruption. There's also a complete list of events commemorating the anniversary and updates on the recovery that has taken place over those three decades.


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