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'Eruption': The unfathomable power of Mount St. Helens

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Volcano Advisory Continues For Mount St. Helens
In 1980, a huge eruption blew the top off Mount St. Helens and sent volcanic ash around the world. It also produced possibly the largest landslide ever recorded, wiped out an entire forest, and killed 57 people.
David McNew | Getty Images

Mount St. Helens erupted on a beautiful day in May 1980, killing 57 people.

Steve Olson, author of "Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens," told MPR News host Tom Weber that many thought those who had died were in the danger zone, but that's not true.

Only three of the victims had violated the danger zones, Olson said. Two of them had permission to be there. The third, Harry R. Truman, refused to leave his lodge with his cats.

"Eruption" brings together these stories, the science behind the eruption, and the social history of Mount St. Helens.