This Day in History - Mount St. Helens Erupts (1980)

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00][music] >> On this day in history, Mount St. Helens erupts.

[00:00:07]On May 18th, 1980, Mount St. Helens in Washington state erupted in one of the most powerful and destructive volcanic explosions in US history. After weeks of increasing activity, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake triggered a massive lateral blast. The north face of the mountain collapsed, sending a devastating wave of hot gas, ash, and rock racing [music] down the slopes at over 300 miles per hour. The eruption sent a column of ash more than 80,000 feet into the sky. Ash fell across multiple states, turning day into night in some areas. The explosion killed 57 people and destroyed hundreds of homes, bridges, and forests. The summit of Mount St. Helens was dramatically lowered by more than [music] 1,300 feet. It remains the most economically destructive volcanic event [music] in American history. May 18th, 1980 is now part of our shared history.