On May the18th, Mount St. Helens erupted at 8:32 a.m. Pacific Time reminding local citizens of the uncontrollable forces of nature. A 5.1-magnitude earthquake shook residents from their sleep as the explosion and surrounding area on the north face of the volcano slid away, resulting in a huge avalanche of rocks, mud, and debris that filled 24 square miles of the valley below. The resulting release of pressure from within the volcano.