On May 18 , 1980 , following a period of heavy tremors and eruptions , the northeast face of Mount St. Helens erupted violently , destroying a large part of the top of the volcano . The eruption flattened the forests , killed 57 people , flooded the Columbia River and its tributaries with ash and mud , and blanketed large parts of Washington eastward and other surrounding states in ash , making day look like night
erupted violently
1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
Washington (state)