MOUNT ST. HELENS
🌋 Mount St. Helens Eruption – May 18, 1980
📍 Location: Washington State, USA
What Happened?
Mount St. Helens was once a beautiful, cone-shaped volcano. But on May 18, 1980, it erupted in one of the most powerful volcanic events in U.S. history.
Why Happened?
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A small earthquake triggered a massive landslide—the biggest ever recorded.
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This caused a huge sideways (lateral) explosion.
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Forests were flattened, and ash covered many towns.
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A large crater (1.6 km wide, 400 m deep) formed at the top of the mountain.
- Lava, ash, and mudflows reshaped the land.
What Changed?
The eruption was caused by pressure building up from magma inside the volcano. When the north side collapsed, the pressure was released all at once.
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57 people died.
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Wildlife and forests were destroyed.
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Spirit Lake was transformed.
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The mountain lost over 400 meters of height.
Today
Mount St. Helens is still active. Scientists study it to learn more about volcanoes, and nature is slowly returning. You can visit the site and see how life is growing back.
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