Watch Mount St. Helens: Seeing Noah's Flood Through Geology

Mount St. Helens: Seeing Noah's Flood Through Geology is a film from 1984 that stars Dr. Steve Austin. The movie showcases the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens that occurred on May 18, 1980, and the subsequent transformation of the surrounding landscape. Dr. Austin, a geologist, narrates the film, detailing how events at Mount St. Helens can provide insight into the significant events recorded in the biblical story of Noah's Flood.

This movie is a fascinating account of the geological processes that occurred before, during, and after the eruption, beginning with the background of the history of the land. Dr. Austin explains that the mountain, which was initially a typical stratovolcano or composite volcano, consisted of alternating layers of volcanic ash, pumice, and lava flow mixed with soil sediments. The film later introduces a character named Ed, who lived on the North Fork Toutle River and experienced the aftermath of the disaster. Ed's account of the eruption and how it affected his life adds a personal element to the film that makes it relatable and engaging for viewers.

As the film builds towards the eruption, viewers receive a glimpse of the past geological events that shaped the landscape. Dr. Austin explains how the cataclysmic flooding that occurred after the Ice Age resulted in layering up the earth with rock debris, volcanic ash, and sediments. This layer formation eventually created a dammed reservoir system on the North Fork Toutle River. The build-up of water behind the sedimentary dam destabilized the side of the mountain, causing a massive collapse that released the trapped water, resulting in a catastrophic landslide.

The movie goes on to show how the landslide triggered the iconic eruption that we now know as the most significant volcanic eruption in modern North American history. The explosion decapitated the mountain's top, resulting in a plume of ash that rose more than 80,000 feet into the atmosphere. The ash cloud traveled across the state, transforming day into night and depositing billions of tons of ash across the region.

As the film progresses, Dr. Austin describes how the ash and debris from the eruption filled up the mountain reservoir, creating a new dam at the landslide's base. This new dam produced a steady lake of the North Fork Toutle River, which began to erode the fragile volcanic material. The resulting erosion created a trench beneath the dam, which allowed the water to escape, freeing the dam's water and unleashing a devastating flood. This geologic event provides an incredible opportunity to see the same geological processes involved in the biblical account of Noah's Flood.

Finally, Dr. Austin talks about the critical takeaways from the eruption, explaining how the geological process can lend insight into the biblical event recorded by Noah. For example, the volume of sediment that came from the landslide coupled with the torrential flowing flood parallels the proportions of sediment and water in the biblical stories of Noah's Flood. The millions of layers of sediment on either side of the river, coupled with the canyons cut by the flow of the water that resemble the Grand Canyon and other major geological features, lend credence to accounts about significant geological events not only in the Bible but also in other ancient scriptures.

Mount St. Helens: Seeing Noah's Flood Through Geology from 1984 is a fascinating coverage of the geological events surrounding the most significant volcanic eruption in North America. The movie uses the lessons learned from the event to lend credence to the biblical stories of Noah's Flood, making it an engaging and thought-provoking film that is ideal for families and scholars alike. The movie is a perfect blend of science and faith that allows viewers to see the catastrophic events of our past in a new light, giving insights into geological processes that may have shaped our world.

Mount St. Helens: Seeing Noah's Flood Through Geology is a documentary with a runtime of 36 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7.