It’s the morning of 18th May 1980. It is bright and clear all over the USA. For many months Mt St Helens has been shaken by a few fore shocks. Smoke and ash covered the mountain in a coat of black. For weeks scientists have been monitoring a bulge growing in the volcano’s north side. This is a sign that magma deep below the earth is starting to find its way upwards.
As they watch, the bulge keeps getting bigger and bigger. Mt St Helens, a dormant volcano hasn’t erupted since 123 years ago in 1857. It might seem like a beautiful mountain to tourists but deep down it is a violent killer. Then it happens………
At 8:32 am, two scientists fly over Mt St Helens. As they approach the top everything is calm. Seconds later the mountain shakes with a huge earthquake, causing an avalanche of rock and ash. There is still worse to come. The avalanche sets off what scientists have been expecting. Suddenly, the whole mountain erupts, with ash, rock and dust coming out of the bulge many kilometres into the air. The top of Mt St Helens is totally gone.
The scientists have to act fast: they are in terrible danger. The cloud of ash is descending on them. They speed to the south to avoid any further damage. The cloud moves to the north, east and north-west. The speed of the cloud could easily overtake the aircraft. Behind their small aircraft, the sky turns as black as night. Ash falls like rain and lightning splits the sky. Mt St Helens continues to erupt for another 9 hours. The volcano erupts gently over the next four days. Then it falls dead silent.
One week later there is another large eruption. Several smaller eruptions follow after that. Mt St Helens has erupted. Things will never be the same again.
