<P> The May 18 , 1980 , event was the most deadly and economically destructive volcanic eruption in the history of the United States . Approximately fifty - seven people were killed directly from the blast and 200 houses , 47 bridges , 15 miles ( 24 km ) of railways and 185 miles ( 298 km ) of highway were destroyed ; two people were killed indirectly in accidents that resulted from poor visibility , and two more suffered fatal heart attacks from shoveling ash . U.S. President Jimmy Carter surveyed the damage and said it looked more desolate than a moonscape . A film crew was dropped by helicopter on Mount St. Helens on May 23 to document the destruction . However , their compasses spun in circles and they quickly became lost . A second eruption occurred the next day ( see below ) , but the crew survived and were rescued two days after that . The eruption ejected more than 1 cubic mile ( 4.2 km ) of material . A quarter of that volume was fresh lava in the form of ash , pumice and volcanic bombs while the rest was fragmented , older rock . The removal of the north side of the mountain ( 13 % of the cone 's volume ) reduced Mount St. Helens ' height by about 1,280 feet ( 390 m ) and left a crater 1 to 2 miles ( 2 to 3 km ) wide and 2,100 feet ( 640 m ) deep with its north end open in a huge breach . </P>
<P> The May 18 , 1980 , event was the most deadly and economically destructive volcanic eruption in the history of the United States . Approximately fifty - seven people were killed directly from the blast and 200 houses , 47 bridges , 15 miles ( 24 km ) of railways and 185 miles ( 298 km ) of highway were destroyed ; two people were killed indirectly in accidents that resulted from poor visibility , and two more suffered fatal heart attacks from shoveling ash . U.S. President Jimmy Carter surveyed the damage and said it looked more desolate than a moonscape . A film crew was dropped by helicopter on Mount St. Helens on May 23 to document the destruction . However , their compasses spun in circles and they quickly became lost . A second eruption occurred the next day ( see below ) , but the crew survived and were rescued two days after that . The eruption ejected more than 1 cubic mile ( 4.2 km ) of material . A quarter of that volume was fresh lava in the form of ash , pumice and volcanic bombs while the rest was fragmented , older rock . The removal of the north side of the mountain ( 13 % of the cone 's volume ) reduced Mount St. Helens ' height by about 1,280 feet ( 390 m ) and left a crater 1 to 2 miles ( 2 to 3 km ) wide and 2,100 feet ( 640 m ) deep with its north end open in a huge breach . </P>
who was president when mt st helens erupted
who was president when mt st helens erupted
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter