Summary
The book explores Mt. St. Helens' geological history and location, as well as the events preceding the eruption, including the gradual development of the bulge on the mountain's north side.
The volcano erupts on May 18, 1980, creating lahars, pyroclastic flows, avalanches, and other geological hazards which destroy a 230-square-mile area and kill 57 people. In the aftermath, geologists worked to understand both the cause and ecological impact of the eruption, helping to advance understanding in the fields of seismology and vulcanology.
In the aftermath of the destruction from the eruption, surviving underground plants began to colonise the blast area; and burrowing rodents like chipmunks, pocket gophers, and red squirrels returned as well. Over time, the area recovered as more plants and animals returned.
The last section of the book explains the process of subduction, the subduction of the Juan de Fuca continental plate, and how subduction creates volcanoes like Mount St. Helens. It closes with a list of beneficial aspects of volcanic eruptions, like soil formation.
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