This story was originally published on May 18, 2024.
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On May 18, 1980, the Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state exploded, leaving 57 people dead or missing.
Active since mid-March, the May 18 eruption remains the most significant volcanic eruption in the contiguous U.S. in recent history, blasting more than 1,300 feet off the top and raining volcanic ash for miles around.
“Mount St. Helens blows its top,” was the headline of the day in the Deseret News and likely many others newspapers around the world. It was a front page story for many weeks after, as hot volcanic ash “spewed 60,000 feet into the air and turned day into night as the ash fell to the ground” before traveling the planet on the jet stream.
Today, the volcano has become a world-class outdoor laboratory for the study of volcanoes, ecosystems and forestry, as well as a major recreational and tourist destination.
In 2004, the volcano belched again, but did not erupt.
Here is some of the Deseret News coverage by colleagues through the years:
“10 years after eruption, life returns to Mount St. Helens”
“A look back: 35 years after Mount St. Helens’ deadly eruption”
“The anniversary of Mount St. Helens eruption — did they know it would happen beforehand?”
“Climbers return to rim of Mount St. Helens”
“Survivors describe the day the mountain blew”
