Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens, a volcano in the state of Washington in the United States, erupted on May 18, 1980. Sixty-two people died due to the eruption. No one was surprised by the eruption on Mount St. Helens. Scientists had been predicting that an eruption was likely for almost two years before it happened.

In March 1980 a small eruption occurred and in April one side of the mountain started to swell and crack. The scientists issued warnings and asked people to clear the area. On May 18 the mountain exploded. Hot gases burst out, followed by hot ash, which ran down the mountain slopes burning everything in its path.

Two cubic kilometers of earth was thrown 60,000 feet straight up into the atmosphere. Cities and towns were covered with powder. The ash from the volcano was found as far away as the Atlantic Ocean, on the other side of the continent.
The top of the mountain was blown away and about 600 square kilometers (230 miles) of land was destroyed, killing both animals and plants. Many thought it would take decades for the land to recover, but the return of life was remarkable. Today the slops and valleys of Mount St. Helens once again have abundant wildlife.