Mount St. Helens is a large volcanic cone that erupted on May 18, 1980, causing massive destruction. The eruption triggered an earthquake that collapsed the north side of the mountain in a massive debris avalanche. This was followed by a pyroclastic flow that flattened vegetation over 600 square kilometers and released over 1.5 million metric tons of sulfur dioxide. Lahars, or volcanic mudflows, formed from the collapse debris and flowed over 27 kilometers, destroying bridges and camps. The eruption killed 57 people and over 7,000 animals and destroyed over 200 homes and damaged highways and railways.