Investigating the calm inside a hurricane
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia erupted just before midnight on November 3, sending lava, volcanic ash, and blazing debris into residential areas within a four-kilometer (two-mile) radius. Authorities began evacuating residents in the early morning and issued a warning of possible floods and cold lava flows in the days ahead.
From Laki-laki to Vesuvius, history has witnessed some of the most formidable volcanic eruptions. Many of these volcanoes are stratovolcanoes, meaning cone-shaped elevations that were built over time from layers of ash and lava. Due to their relatively soft composition, pressure builds up inside until they blow up, which results in sudden explosive eruptions. Their steep slopes then generate pyroclastic flows, making them some of the most dangerous types of volcanoes.
The power of such eruptions is measured using the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), which is a scale that goes from one to eight. Each succeeding VEI is 10 times greater than the last. Click on to find out which historic volcanic eruptions scored the highest.
Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands located in the infamous Pacific Ring of Fire. On April 17, a volcano on the remote Ruang Island began to erupt. The 2,400-foot (725-meter) Mount Ruang emitted five large eruptions within a 24-hour period, spraying hot lava and sending ash clouds thousands of feet into the sky. The country has set the volcano alert to the highest level and warned locals to stay at least 6 km (3.7 mi) away, due to concerns that part of the erupting mountain could collapse into the sea due to the violent activity. This occurred during an eruption in 1871, triggering a tsunami. All 800 residents of the small island have been evacuated and the international airport in Manado city has been closed due to the ash clouds. The airport is on the island of Sulawesi, approximately six hours away by boat. Residents of surrounding islands have been put on alert and may have to be evacuated if a tsunami occurs. While there were no immediate reports of casualties, 828 people from Ruang and Tagulandang Islands were directly affected and evacuated to a public facility, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The famous volcano exploded on August 24 in 79 CE, destroying the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Located at the Bay of Naples, it remains active to this day.
With 150 active volcanoes, Indonesia has an unfortunate history with volcanic eruptions. This one from 1883 was so strong that the explosion also created a tsunami, whose maximum wave heights reached 140 feet (40 m). It killed about 34,000 people.
Instead of one giant eruption, Laki saw a series of lava flows and explosions that lasted for more than eight months. The eruption resulted in a famine that killed over 10,000 people.
In early May 1902, a river of volcanic rock fragments and water burst out of the side of the mountain, which triggered a tsunami. The island's governor assured residents that there was no real danger. However, days later, the mountain exploded with superheated gas and debris that killed 30,000 residents in just a few minutes.
The explosion of Mount Tambora ranked at VEI 7. The death toll from the eruption was estimated at 71,000 people. The volcano, which is still active, is one of the tallest peaks in the Indonesian archipelago.
On May 18, 1980, volcanic terror hit North America after an earthquake provoked the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. Ranked VEI 5, sadly 57 people died, making it the deadliest volcanic eruption in US history.
All of Yellowstone National Park is an active volcano. It has erupted at least three times, going back 2.1 million years ago, 1.2 million years ago, and most recently 640,000 years ago.
Nevado del Ruiz has erupted several times since 1570, but the most memorable event occurred on November 13, 1985. As it erupted, ice melted, which caused mudslides of rock and volcanic debris. This tore through the surrounding structures and killed 23,000 people.
A series of minor explosions and earthquakes rocked Mount Lamington to eruption in 1951. The largest eruption led to thick black ash, which rose 50,000 feet (15,000 m) into the atmosphere. The eruption collapsed a lava dome and produced a lethal pyroclastic flow, which killed 2,942 people.
The eruption of Novarupta was the largest volcanic blast of the 20th century. The powerful eruption sent three cubic miles (12.5 cubic km) of magma and ash into the air, which fell on an area of 3,000 square miles (7,800 square km).
North Island in New Zealand got a seismic shock on June 10, 1886, when Mount Tarawera erupted. The VEI 5 blasts were heard up to 310 miles (498 km) away, making it the largest volcanic event in the country's history.
This peak was the location of South America's largest volcanic eruption in recorded history. The explosion sent mudflows as far as the Pacific Ocean, which is 75 miles (120 km) away.
Pinatubo is most notorious for its VEI 6 eruption on June 15, 1991. It was the second-largest eruption of the 20th century after Novarupta in Alaska. The eruption ejected more than one cubic mile (five cubic km) of material into the air and created a column of ash that rose up 22 miles (35 km) in the atmosphere.
One of the largest eruptions of the 20th century, the violent explosion came after the volcano had remained silent for about 500 years. It has experienced continuous activity since its last blast, claiming the lives of 5,000 people in a 1929 eruption.
The 257-square-mile (665-square-km) volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean experienced one of the most impressive eruptions in history. It sent a wave of scalding ash and dust down the mountain and formed a 7.5 mile (12 km) wide caldera.
A large caldera filled by Taal Lake in the Philippines, the volcano is located about 31 miles (50 km) south of Manila. The devastating 1911 eruption killed 1,334 people and produced ash that reached the capital.
Located in central El Salvador, Ilopango only experienced two eruptions in its history. The first eruption blanketed much of the region with pumice and ash, and destroyed early Mayan cities. This forced inhabitants to flee. The summit's caldera is now home to one of El Salvador's largest lakes.
On May 19, 1919, an eruption at Kelud killed an estimated 5,000 people, mostly through hot mudflows, also known as lahars.
The 1783 eruption lasted three months and caused widespread damage. It killed about 1,400 people, and later 20,000 due to famine.
Known to have erupted 87 times, one of the most violent eruptions occurred in 1877. The pyroclastic flows descended on all sides of the mountain, melting the entire ice cap. This made mudflow and debris travel more than 62 miles (100 km) into the Pacific Ocean and western Amazon.
The 1982 eruption of El Chichón is the largest disaster in modern Mexican history. Magma destroyed the summit lava dome, which was accompanied by pyroclastic flows and surges that killed 1,900 people.
The most active volcano in the Philippines, its 1814 eruption is considered to be the volcano's most violent episode. It devastated five towns and killed at least 1,200 people.
At the site of present-day Lake Toba, one of Earth's largest known explosive eruptions occurred 74,000 years ago. The eruption is estimated to rank at VEI 8.
Also known as Santorini, the eruption on the island had a VEI magnitude between 6 and 7. One of the largest volcanic events in human history, it destroyed the Minoan civilization who lived there.
The eruption of Mount Unzen caused a destructive landslide and tsunami, killing nearly 15,000 people. It's the deadliest volcanic eruption in Japan’s history.
On August 11, 1772, Mount Papandayan erupted for the first time, producing a catastrophic debris avalanche that destroyed 40 villages and killed 2,957 people. It's still an active volcano.
In May 1902, the volcano on the Caribbean island entered into a violent eruption that sent ash high into the atmosphere. The event killed 1,680 people.
Located in West Java, the active volcano had its first historical eruption in 1822, which produced pyroclastic flows and lahars. It killed 4,011 people.
The devastating eruption of Oshima began on August 18, 1741 and ended on May 1 the next year. Days into the eruption, the Kampo tsunami swept across the region. An estimated 2,000 people died.
Sources: (Live Science) (Time) (Mental Floss) (Unocha.org)
See also: Hurricane Milton: One of the 21st century’s biggest natural disasters
Volcano eruption in Indonesia kills at least 10 people
Lava, ash, and debris hit residential areas
LIFESTYLE Volcanoes
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia erupted just before midnight on November 3, sending lava, volcanic ash, and blazing debris into residential areas within a four-kilometer (two-mile) radius. Authorities began evacuating residents in the early morning and issued a warning of possible floods and cold lava flows in the days ahead.
From Laki-laki to Vesuvius, history has witnessed some of the most formidable volcanic eruptions. Many of these volcanoes are stratovolcanoes, meaning cone-shaped elevations that were built over time from layers of ash and lava. Due to their relatively soft composition, pressure builds up inside until they blow up, which results in sudden explosive eruptions. Their steep slopes then generate pyroclastic flows, making them some of the most dangerous types of volcanoes.
The power of such eruptions is measured using the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), which is a scale that goes from one to eight. Each succeeding VEI is 10 times greater than the last. Click on to find out which historic volcanic eruptions scored the highest.