St. Helens Eruption

Описание: On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens in Washington State erupted with catastrophic force. It was one of the deadliest volcanic events in U.S. history.

David Johnston was a 30-year-old volcanologist stationed at an observation post just five miles from the summit. He had been monitoring the volcano for weeks, watching it swell and crack as magma built up beneath the surface.

That morning, he saw it happen. The entire north face of the mountain began to bulge outward, then suddenly collapsed in a massive landslide. Within seconds, the pressure inside exploded laterally.
Johnston grabbed his radio and transmitted his final words: "Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!"
Then the blast arrived. A superheated pyroclastic surge traveling at 670 mph, with temperatures over 600 degrees Fahrenheit. The shockwave was so powerful it snapped trees like toothpicks for miles. The ash cloud moved faster than sound.

David Johnston was vaporized instantly. His body was never recovered.

When rescue teams finally reached his observation post days later, they found only his trailer buried in ash and his camera tripod still standing, pointing toward the mountain.

57 people died that day. But Johnston's final radio call gave officials critical seconds to understand what was happening, helping save countless others.