On May 18, 1980, a powerful magnitude 5.1 earthquake shook the depths beneath Mount St. Helens in Washington, triggering the largest landslide ever recorded. The mountain’s north face collapsed in a breathtaking instant, unleashing a supersonic blast of ash, hot gas, and rock that flattened 230 square miles of forest in seconds. The eruption sent a towering plume soaring 15 miles into the sky, turning day into night as ash darkened the skies far beyond Washington, drifting over eleven states. In this tragic event, 57 lives were lost, and countless animals perished. Yet, in the years since, nature has begun its quiet recovery, with new forests and ecosystems slowly reclaiming the scars left behind. This powerful reminder of Earth’s fierce forces also tells a timeless tale of resilience and hope.
