Today on the surface of the Earth there are about 600 active volcanoes and up to 1000 extinct ones. In addition, there are approximately 10 thousand more of them hiding under water. Most of them are located at the junctions of tectonic plates. About 100 volcanoes are concentrated around Indonesia, there are about 10 in the western American states, and a cluster of volcanoes is also noted in the area of Japan, the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka. But they are all nothing compared to the one megavolcano that scientists fear most.
The most dangerous volcanoes
Any of the existing volcanoes, even dormant ones, poses one danger or another. No volcanologist or geomorphologist undertakes to determine which of them is the most dangerous, since it is impossible to accurately predict the time and strength of the eruption of any of them. The title of “the most dangerous volcano in the world” is simultaneously claimed by the Roman Vesuvius and Etna, the Mexican Popocatepetl, the Japanese Sakurajima, the Colombian Galeras, located in the Congo Nyiragongo, in Guatemala - Santa Maria, in Hawaii - Manua Loa and others.
If the danger of a volcano is measured by the estimated damage it can cause, then it would be reasonable to turn to history that describes the consequences of the most dangerous volcanic eruptions in the world in the past. For example, the well-known Vesuvius carried away in 79 AD. e. up to 10 thousand lives and wiped out two large cities from the face of the Earth. The eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, which was 200 thousand times stronger than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, echoed across the Earth and took the lives of 36 thousand islanders.
The eruption of a volcano called Laki in 1783 led to the destruction of a huge part of the livestock and food supplies, due to which 20% of the population of Iceland died of starvation. The following year became a lean year for the whole of Europe because of Lucky. All this shows what large-scale consequences it can have for people
Destructive supervolcanoes
But did you know that all the biggest dangerous ones are nothing compared to the so-called supervolcanoes, the eruption of each of which thousands of years ago brought truly catastrophic consequences for the entire Earth and changed the climate on the planet? Eruptions of such volcanoes could have a force of 8 points, and ash with a volume of at least 1000 m 3 was thrown to a height of at least 25 km. This led to prolonged sulfur precipitation, lack of sunlight for many months and covering a vast area of the earth's surface with huge layers of ash.
Supervolcanoes are distinguished by the fact that at the site of the eruption they have not a crater, but a caldera. This circus-shaped basin with a relatively flat bottom is formed as a result of the fact that after a series of powerful explosions with the release of smoke, ash and magma, the upper part of the mountain collapses.
The most dangerous supervolcano
Scientists know about the existence of approximately 20 supervolcanoes. Today, on the site of one of these terrifying giants, Lake Taupa in New Zealand is located; another supervolcano is hidden under the one located on the other. Examples of supervolcanoes include Long Valley in California, Valleys in New Mexico and Aira in Japan.
But the most dangerous volcano in the world is the Yellowstone supervolcano, which is most “ripe” for an eruption, located in the western American states. It is he who forces volcanologists and geomorphologists in the United States, and throughout the world, to live in a state of increasing fear, forcing them to forget about all the most dangerous active volcanoes in the world.
Location and size of Yellowstone
The Yellowstone Caldera is located in the northwestern United States, in the state of Wyoming. It was first spotted by satellite in 1960. The caldera, whose dimensions are approximately 55 * 72 km, is part of the world famous Yellowstone national park. A third of the nearly 900,000 hectares of parkland is located within the volcano's caldera.
Under the Yellowstone crater to this day rests a giant bubble of magma about 8,000 m deep. The temperature of the magma inside it is close to 1000 0 C. Thanks to this, many hot springs bubble in the territory of Yellowstone Park, from cracks in earth's crust Clouds of steam and gas mixtures rise.
There are also many geysers and mud pots there. The reason for this was a vertical flow of solid rock 660 km wide, heated to a temperature of 1600 0 C. Under the territory of the park at a depth of 8-16 km there are two branches of this stream.
Yellowstone's past eruptions
The first eruption of Yellowstone, which scientists say occurred more than 2 million years ago, was the largest disaster on Earth in the entire history of its existence. Then, according to volcanologists, about 2.5 thousand km 3 of rock was released into the atmosphere, and the highest point these emissions reached was 50 km above the earth’s surface.
The largest and most dangerous volcano in the world began to erupt again more than 1.2 million years ago. Then the volume of emissions was approximately 10 times less. The third eruption occurred 640 thousand years ago. It was then that the walls of the crater collapsed and the caldera that exists today was formed.
Why you should be afraid of the Yellowstone Caldera today
In light of recent changes in the territory of Yellowstone National Park, it is becoming increasingly clear to scientists which volcano is the most dangerous in the world. What's going on there? Scientists were alarmed by the following changes, which especially intensified in the 2000s:
- In the six years leading up to 2013, the ground covering the caldera rose by as much as 2 meters, compared with only 10 cm in the previous 20 years.
- New hot geysers erupted from the ground.
- The frequency and strength of earthquakes in the Yellowstone caldera area is increasing. In 2014 alone, scientists recorded about 2,000 of them.
- In some places, underground gases make their way through the layers of the earth to the surface.
- The water temperature in the rivers increased by several degrees.
This frightening news alarmed the public, and especially the residents of the North American continent. Many scientists agree that the supervolcano will erupt this century.
Consequences of the eruption for America
It is not for nothing that many volcanologists believe that the Yellowstone caldera is the most dangerous volcano in the world. They assume that its next eruption will be as powerful as the previous ones. Scientists equate it to the explosion of a thousand atomic bombs. This means that within a radius of 160 km around the epicenter, everything will be completely destroyed. An ash-covered area stretching 1,600 km around will turn into a “dead zone.”
The eruption of Yellowstone can lead to the eruption of other volcanoes and the formation of powerful tsunamis. There will be a national emergency for the United States and martial law will be imposed. Information comes from various sources that America is preparing for disaster: building shelters, making more than a million plastic coffins, drawing up an evacuation plan, drawing up agreements with countries on other continents. IN Lately The United States prefers to remain silent about the true state of affairs at the Yellowstone Caldera.
Yellowstone Caldera and the end of the world
The eruption of the caldera located under Yellowstone Park will bring disaster not only to America. The picture that can unfold in this case looks sad for the whole world. Scientists have calculated that if the release to a height of 50 km lasts only two days, then the “cloud of death” during this time will cover an area twice as large as the entire American continent.
In a week, emissions will reach India and Australia. The sun's rays will drown in thick volcanic smoke and a long one and a half year (at least) winter will come to Earth. The average air temperature on Earth will drop to -25 0 C, and in some places it will reach -50 o. People will die under debris falling from the sky from hot lava, from cold, hunger, thirst and the inability to breathe. According to assumptions, only one person in a thousand will survive.
The eruption of the Yellowstone caldera can, if not completely destroy life on earth, then radically change the conditions of existence of all living things. No one can say for sure whether this most dangerous volcano in the world will erupt in our lifetime, but the existing fears are indeed justified.
August 24‑25, 79 AD an eruption occurred that was considered extinct Vesuvius volcano, located on the shores of the Gulf of Naples, 16 kilometers east of Naples (Italy). The eruption led to the destruction of four Roman cities - Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontium, Stabia - and several small villages and villas. Pompeii, located 9.5 kilometers from the crater of Vesuvius and 4.5 kilometers from the base of the volcano, was covered with a layer of very small pieces of pumice about 5-7 meters thick and covered with a layer of volcanic ash. With the onset of night, lava flowed from the side of Vesuvius, everywhere fires started, and the ashes made it difficult to breathe. On August 25, along with an earthquake, a tsunami began, the sea retreated from the shores, and a black thundercloud hung over Pompeii and surrounding cities, hiding the Misensky cape and the island of Capri. Most of the population of Pompeii was able to escape, but about two thousand people died on the streets and in the houses of the city from poisonous sulfur dioxide gases. Among the victims was the Roman writer and scientist Pliny the Elder. Herculaneum, located seven kilometers from the crater of the volcano and about two kilometers from its base, was covered with a layer of volcanic ash, the temperature of which was so high that all wooden objects were completely charred. The ruins of Pompeii were accidentally discovered at the end of the 16th century, but systematic Excavations began only in 1748 and are still ongoing, along with reconstruction and restoration.
March 11, 1669 an eruption occurred Mount Etna in Sicily, which lasted until July of the same year (according to other sources, until November 1669). The eruption was accompanied by numerous earthquakes. Lava fountains along this fissure gradually moved downwards, and the largest cone formed near the city of Nikolosi. This cone is known as Monti Rossi (Red Mountain) and is still clearly visible on the slope of the volcano. Nikolosi and two nearby villages were destroyed on the first day of the eruption. In another three days, lava flowing south down the slope destroyed four more villages. At the end of March, two larger cities were destroyed, and at the beginning of April, lava flows reached the outskirts of Catania. Lava began to accumulate under the fortress walls. Some of it flowed into the harbor and filled it. On April 30, 1669, lava flowed over the top of the fortress walls. The townspeople built additional walls across the main roads. This stopped the advance of the lava, but the western part of the city was destroyed. The total volume of this eruption is estimated at 830 million cubic meters. Lava flows burned 15 villages and part of the city of Catania, completely changing the configuration of the coast. According to some sources, 20 thousand people, according to others - from 60 to 100 thousand.
October 23, 1766 on the island of Luzon (Philippines) began to erupt Mayon volcano. Dozens of villages were swept away and incinerated by a huge lava flow (30 meters wide), which flowed down the eastern slopes for two days. Following the initial explosion and flow of lava, Mayon Volcano continued to erupt for four more days, spewing a large number of steam and watery mud. Grayish-brown rivers ranging from 25 to 60 meters wide fell down the slopes of the mountain within a radius of up to 30 kilometers. They completely swept away roads, animals, villages with people on their way (Daraga, Kamalig, Tobaco). More than 2,000 residents died during the eruption. Basically, they were swallowed up by the first lava flow or secondary mud avalanches. For two months, the mountain spewed ash and poured lava onto the surrounding area.
April 5-7, 1815 an eruption occurred Tambora volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa. Ash, sand and volcanic dust were thrown into the air to a height of 43 kilometers. Stones weighing up to five kilograms were scattered over a distance of up to 40 kilometers. The Tambora eruption affected the islands of Sumbawa, Lombok, Bali, Madura and Java. Subsequently, under a three-meter layer of ash, scientists found traces of the dead kingdoms of Pecat, Sangar and Tambora. Simultaneously with the volcanic eruption, huge tsunamis 3.5-9 meters high were formed. Having flown away from the island, the water fell on neighboring islands and drowned hundreds of people. About 10 thousand people died directly during the eruption. At least 82 thousand more people died from the consequences of the disaster - hunger or disease. The ash that shrouded Sumbawa destroyed crops and buried the irrigation system; acid rain poisoned the water. For three years after Tambora's eruption, the entire globe was enveloped in a shroud of dust and ash particles, reflecting some of the sun's rays and cooling the planet. The next year, 1816, Europeans felt the consequences of a volcanic eruption. It entered the annals of history as “the year without summer.” The average temperature in the Northern Hemisphere fell by about one degree, and in some areas even by 3-5 degrees. Large areas of crops suffered from spring and summer frosts on the soil, and famine began in many areas.
August 26-27, 1883 an eruption occurred Krakatoa volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. Houses on nearby islands collapsed due to tremors. On August 27, at about 10 o'clock in the morning, a gigantic explosion occurred, an hour later - a second explosion of the same force. More than 18 cubic kilometers of rock debris and ash shot up into the atmosphere. The waves of the tsunami caused by the explosions instantly swallowed up cities, villages, and forests on the coasts of Java and Sumatra. Many islands disappeared under water along with the population. The tsunami was so powerful that it went around almost the entire planet. In total, 295 cities and villages were wiped off the face of the earth on the coasts of Java and Sumatra, over 36 thousand people died, and hundreds of thousands were left homeless. The coasts of Sumatra and Java have changed beyond recognition. On the coast of the Sunda Strait, fertile soil was washed away down to the rocky base. Only a third of the island of Krakatoa survived. In terms of the amount of water and rock moved, the energy of the Krakatoa eruption is equivalent to the explosion of several hydrogen bombs. The strange glow and optical phenomena persisted for several months after the eruption. In some places above the Earth, the sun appeared blue and the moon appeared bright green. And the movement of dust particles ejected by the eruption in the atmosphere allowed scientists to establish the presence of a “jet” stream.
May 8, 1902 Mont Pele volcano, located on Martinique, one of the islands Caribbean Sea, literally exploded into pieces - four strong explosions sounded, similar to cannon shots. They threw out a black cloud from the main crater, which was pierced by flashes of lightning. Since the emissions did not come through the top of the volcano, but through side craters, all volcanic eruptions of this type have since been called “Peleian”. Superheated volcanic gas, due to its high density and high speed of movement, spread above the ground itself, penetrated into all the cracks. A huge cloud covered the area of complete destruction. The second zone of destruction stretches another 60 square kilometers. This cloud, formed from super-hot steam and gases, weighed down by billions of particles of hot ash, moving at a speed sufficient to carry fragments of rocks and volcanic emissions, had a temperature of 700-980 ° C and was able to melt glass. Mont Pele erupted again on May 20, 1902, with almost the same force as on May 8. The Mont Pelee volcano, breaking into pieces, destroyed one of the main ports of Martinique, Saint-Pierre, along with its population. 36 thousand people died instantly, hundreds of people died from side effects. The two survivors became celebrities. Shoemaker Leon Comper Leander managed to escape within the walls of his own house. He miraculously survived, although he received severe burns to his legs. Louis Auguste Cypress, nicknamed Samson, was in a prison cell during the eruption and remained there for four days, despite serious burns. After being rescued, he was pardoned, soon he was hired by the circus and during performances he was shown as the only surviving resident of Saint-Pierre.
June 1, 1912 eruption began Katmai volcano in Alaska, which had been dormant for a long time. On June 4, ash material was ejected, which, mixed with water, formed mud flows; on June 6, an explosion of colossal force occurred, the sound of which was heard in Juneau 1,200 kilometers away and in Dawson 1,040 kilometers from the volcano. Two hours later a second explosion occurred enormous power and in the evening - the third. Then, for several days, there was an almost continuous eruption of colossal amounts of gases and solid products. During the eruption, about 20 cubic kilometers of ash and debris burst out of the volcano. The deposition of this material formed a layer of ash ranging from 25 centimeters to 3 meters thick, and much more near the volcano. The amount of ash was so great that for 60 hours there was complete darkness around the volcano at a distance of 160 kilometers. On June 11, volcanic dust fell in Vancouver and Victoria at a distance of 2200 km from the volcano. In the upper layers of the atmosphere it spread throughout the entire territory North America and fell in large quantities in the Pacific Ocean. For a whole year, small ash particles moved in the atmosphere. Summer across the planet turned out to be much colder than usual, since more than a quarter of the sun's rays falling on the planet were retained in the ash curtain. In addition, in 1912, amazingly beautiful scarlet dawns were celebrated everywhere. At the site of the crater, a lake with a diameter of 1.5 kilometers formed - the main attraction of the Katmai National Park and Preserve, formed in 1980.
December 13-28, 1931 an eruption occurred volcano Merapi on the island of Java in Indonesia. Over two weeks, from December 13 to 28, the volcano erupted a stream of lava about seven kilometers long, up to 180 meters wide and up to 30 meters deep. The white-hot stream scorched the earth, burned the trees and destroyed all the villages in its path. In addition, both slopes of the volcano exploded, and erupted volcanic ash covered half of the island of the same name. During this eruption, 1,300 people died. The eruption of Mount Merapi in 1931 was the most destructive, but far from the last.
In 1976, a volcanic eruption killed 28 people and destroyed 300 houses. Significant morphological changes occurring in the volcano caused another disaster. In 1994, the dome that had formed in previous years collapsed, and the resulting massive release of pyroclastic material forced the local population to leave their villages. 43 people died.
In 2010, the number of victims from the central part of the Indonesian island of Java was 304 people. The list of dead included those who died from exacerbations of lung and heart disease and other chronic diseases caused by ash emissions, as well as those who died from injuries.
November 12, 1985 eruption began Ruiz Volcano in Colombia, considered extinct. On November 13, several explosions were heard one after another. The power of the strongest explosion, according to experts, was about 10 megatons. A column of ash and rock debris rose into the sky to a height of eight kilometers. The eruption that began caused the instant melting of the vast glaciers and eternal snows lying on the top of the volcano. The main blow fell on the city of Armero, located 50 kilometers from the mountain, which was destroyed in 10 minutes. Of the 28.7 thousand residents of the city, 21 thousand died. Not only Armero was destroyed, but also whole line villages Settlements such as Chinchino, Libano, Murillo, Casabianca and others were severely damaged by the eruption. Mudflows damaged oil pipelines and cut off fuel supplies to the southern and western parts of the country. As a result of the sudden melting of the snow lying in the Nevado Ruiz Mountains, nearby rivers overflowed their banks. Powerful flows of water washed away roads, demolished power and telephone line supports, and destroyed bridges. According to the official statement of the Colombian government, as a result of the eruption of the Ruiz volcano, 23 thousand people died or went missing, and about five thousand were seriously injured and maimed. About 4,500 residential buildings and administrative buildings were completely destroyed. Tens of thousands of people were left homeless and without any means of subsistence. Colombia's economy suffered significant damage.
June 10-15, 1991 an eruption occurred Volcano Pinatubo on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The eruption began quite quickly and was unexpected, since the volcano became active after more than six centuries of hibernation. On June 12, the volcano exploded, throwing a mushroom cloud into the sky. Streams of gas, ash and rocks melted to a temperature of 980°C rushed down the slopes at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour. For many kilometers around, all the way to Manila, day turned into night. And the cloud and the ash falling from it reached Singapore, which is 2.4 thousand kilometers away from the volcano. On the night of June 12 and the morning of June 13, the volcano erupted again, throwing ash and flames 24 kilometers into the air. The volcano continued to erupt on June 15 and 16. Mud flows and water washed away houses. As a result of numerous eruptions, approximately 200 people died and 100 thousand were left homeless
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
According to rough estimates, there are about 6,000 volcanoes on Earth. They are found in almost all parts of the planet, but most of them are hidden in the depths of the World Ocean. Some of them erupt and disappear from the face of the planet, others can manifest their activity again. But at the same time, the most famous volcanic eruptions in the history of mankind are highlighted, which led to catastrophic consequences: they changed the climate, caused the appearance of ozone holes and the death of cities and even civilizations.
Vesuvius (79)
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79 AD. e. considered one of the most famous in human history. Every second, millions of tons of hot mud, smoke and ash erupted from the crater, rising up to 20 km, and their particles were found in Egypt and Syria. Volcanic flows completely buried 4 cities: Oplontis, Herculaneum, Stabia and Pompeii.
For some time, a catastrophe of incredible proportions was considered an invention of Pliny the Younger, until in 1763 the results of excavations proved the existence and death of the famous city of Pompeii under tons of volcanic ash. According to various sources, from 6,000 to 25,000 Romans died as a result of the cataclysm.
Interesting! The last time Vesuvius erupted during World War II in 1944, which caused the almost complete disappearance of two cities from the face of the planet. A long period of hibernation, according to some scientists, is a sign that the next eruption could be incredibly strong.
Lucky (1783)
In July 1783, the Laki volcano, located in the south of Iceland, awakened, which is also called simply the crater, since it belongs to a mountain system with a length of 25 km with more than 100 craters. The famous eruption, which lasted about 8 months, was accompanied by the release of about 15 cubic meters to the surface. km. lava. The lava flow, considered the longest in the world, reached a length of more than 65 km and flooded 565 km² of the island.
The most amazing thing is that Lucky “warned” the population in all possible ways: unusual activity of geysers, seismic tremors, boiling water and whirlpools. But people were confident that their homes would protect them from the elements and made no attempts to evacuate.
Volcanic ash and toxic gases destroyed crops, pastures and most livestock, leading to famine and the subsequent death of about 10,000 people. It is with the clouds of toxic smoke that the most dangerous consequences of Lucky’s activity are associated, which reached all the way to China and the African continent. They caused acid rain, and the high concentration of dust particles, which did not allow the sun's rays to pass through, contributed to a decrease in temperature. As a result, there was significant damage Agriculture, and people were hit by hunger and mass disease.
Unzen (1792)
On the Japanese island of Shimabara there is a still active Unzen volcano. Its activity has been observed since 1663, but the largest eruption occurred in 1792. A landslide caused by rock movements claimed the lives of 5,000 residents of the island of Kyushu.
Due to the tremors caused by the explosion, a 23-meter tsunami was formed, which washed over the coastal areas of the Japanese islands and killed another 10,000 people. The tragedy associated with the raging disaster is forever immortalized in numerous monuments located throughout Japan.
A distinctive feature of Unzen is the complete absence of hot lava. Volcanic flows consist only of ash, rocks and gases with a temperature of about 800°C. During last decades Many small explosions were recorded, resulting in the destruction of more than 2,000 buildings.
Nevado del Ruiz (1985)
Seismic activity and small emissions of ash and sulfur were recorded here in the previous 1984, but even on the day of the disaster, the authorities advised the local population not to panic, as it turned out in vain. The volcano, located in the Colombian Andes, erupted on November 13, 1985.
In itself it is not the largest. But hot volcanic flows contributed to the melting of the mountain glaciers covering Nevado del Ruiz and the formation of lahars. The latter are streams mixed from ash, mud, water and rocks that move at speeds of up to 60 km/h.
One of these flows practically destroyed the city of Armero: out of 29,000 inhabitants, 23,000 people immediately died. About 5,000 more were seriously injured or died later from typhoid and yellow fever epidemics. Another lahar destroyed the city of Chinchina and caused the death of 1,800 people. In addition, coffee plantations suffered from Nevado del Ruiz: it destroyed the coffee trees themselves and the bulk of the harvest, which caused irreparable damage to the economy.
Mont Pele (1902)
In 1902, one of the largest eruptions in the history of the 20th century occurred in the Caribbean Sea. The volcano on the island of Martinique “awakened” back in April, as evidenced by tremors and roars, and on May 8 an explosion occurred, accompanied by clouds of smoke, ash and flows of hot lava. The hot stream in a matter of minutes destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre, located 8 km from the foot of Mont Pelée.
In addition, hot volcanic gases turned out to be deadly, causing fires throughout the city, poisoning people and killing animals. Of the almost 30,000 inhabitants, only 2 people survived: a shoemaker who lived on the outskirts of the city and a criminal sentenced to death, imprisoned in an underground cell. The latter, after being rescued, was pardoned and invited to work in the circus, where he was demonstrated as the only surviving resident of Saint-Pierre.
A little later, 2 more explosions occurred, which also did not result in casualties. On May 20, 2,000 rescue workers clearing the ruins of Saint-Pierre died, and an eruption on August 30 killed another 1,000 people from nearby villages. Now Saint-Pierre has been partially restored, and at the foot of Mont Pele, which is considered no longer active, a museum of volcanology has been organized.
Krakatoa (1883)
On August 27, 1883, 4 explosions occurred on Krakatoa, which is located near the islands of Java and Sumatra, which led to the destruction of the island where the volcano itself was located. According to scientists, their power was 200 megatons (10,000 times more than the bombs in Hiroshima), the sound of the big bang was heard as far as Sri Lanka and Australia at a distance of about 4000 km, which is probably the loudest sound in the entire history of the planet.
The fragments from the volcanic eruption scattered over a distance of up to 500 km, and 150 km from the site of the disaster, an air wave tore off doors along with hinges and roofs from houses. According to various estimates, the blast wave circled the planet from 7 to 11 times.
Of the 36,000 (according to other sources, their number was 120,000) victims, most suffered from a tsunami up to 30 m high caused by volcanic activity. Giant wave led to the death of residents of nearby islands and the destruction of 295 villages and towns. The rest died under the rubble of volcanic debris and debris. Hundreds of thousands more lost their homes.
The disaster that happened on Krakatoa caused climate change: the average annual temperature decreased by more than 1°C and returned to its previous level only after 5 years.
Interesting fact! In different places on Earth, several months after the events on Krakatoa, an unusual glow and unusual optical phenomena were recorded. For example, the Moon looked bright green and the Sun looked blue.
Tambora (1815)
The eruption of the Indonesian volcano Tambora from the island of Sumbawa is considered by scientists to be the most powerful in the history of mankind. It began to erupt on April 10, 1815, and just a few hours later the island, with an area of more than 15,000 km, was covered with ash 1.5 m thick. Columns of ash and smoke rose to a height of 43 km and, according to eyewitnesses, caused round-the-clock pitch darkness in a radius of up to 600 km.
In addition to the “traditional” explosion, a unique phenomenon soon arose: a fiery whirlwind that swept away everything in its path. After 5 days, another tsunami formed, which claimed the lives of 4,500 people. Total number victims from the direct action of Tambor, as well as subsequent famine and disease, reach 70,000.
As a result of the explosion, the content in the atmosphere increased sulfur dioxide, which caused climate change. So, the next year, 2016, is often called “the year without summer.” In Europe, North America and certain parts of Asia, unusually low temperatures, endless rains and hurricanes were observed, which caused disastrous crop failures and epidemics.
Santorini (1450 BC)
The Greek island of Santorini today attracts many tourists, for whom the proximity to the Santorini volcano of the same name may be a threat. His Last Activity was noted in 1950, but the most significant and powerful eruption in history occurred around 1450 BC. e.
Because the events were so long ago, it is impossible to determine the exact number of victims, but it is known that the explosion of the volcano caused the death of the entire Minoan civilization with the central island of Thira (or Fira). The explosion generated a tsunami, the height of which in different sources is indicated from 15 to 100 m, and the speed of movement is up to 200 km/h.
Among scientists there are versions that it was the island of Fira, destroyed by Santorini, that was the very legendary Atlantis described by Plato. In addition, some stories from the Old Testament are associated with his activity: for example, the sea that parted before Moses could have been a consequence of the island sinking under water, and the pillar of fire he saw could have been directly caused by the eruption of Santorini.
But even the largest volcanic eruptions known to scientists in the history of mankind cannot be compared with those that occur on other objects solar system. For example, on Jupiter’s moon Io in 2001, a volcanic explosion was recorded with a power 10,000 times greater than the largest explosions on our planet.
The most powerful volcanic eruptions
5 (100%) 1 votedToday we will talk about the most destructive volcanoes in human history.
The eruption attracts, frightens and fascinates us at the same time. Beauty, entertainment, spontaneity, enormous danger for humans and all living things - all this is inherent in this violent natural phenomenon.
So, let's look at volcanoes, whose eruptions have caused the destruction of vast territories and mass extinctions.
The most famous active volcano is Vesuvius. It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Naples, 15 km from Naples. With a relatively low altitude (1280 meters above sea level) and “youth” (12 thousand years), it is rightfully considered the most recognizable in the world.
Vesuvius is the only active volcano on the European continent. It poses a great danger due to the dense population near the silent giant. Huge numbers of people are at risk of being buried under thick lava every day.
The last eruption, which managed to wipe out as many as two Italian cities, happened quite recently, in the midst of World War II. However, the eruption of 1944 in terms of the scale of the catastrophe cannot be compared with the events of August 24, 79 AD. Devastating consequences from that day still boggle our imagination. The eruption lasted more than a day, during which ash and dirt mercilessly destroyed the glorious city of Pompeii.
Until that moment local residents They had no idea about the impending danger; they were let down by a very familiar attitude towards the formidable Vesuvius, as if it were an ordinary mountain. The volcano gave them fertile soil rich in minerals. Abundant harvests were the reason that the city was quickly populated, developed, gained some prestige and even became a vacation spot for the then aristocracy. Soon a drama theater and one of the largest amphitheaters in Italy were built. Some time later, the region gained fame as the calmest and most prosperous place on the whole Earth. Could people have guessed that this flourishing area would be covered by merciless lava? That the rich potential of this region will never be realized? That all its beauty, improvement, and cultural development will be erased from the face of the Earth?
The first shock, which should have alerted the residents, was a strong earthquake, as a result of which many buildings in Herculaneum and Pompeii were destroyed. However, people who had arranged their life so well were in no hurry to leave their settled place. Instead, they restored the buildings in an even more luxurious, new style. At times there were minor earthquakes that no one paid attention to. special attention. This was their fatal mistake. Nature itself gave signs of approaching danger. However, nothing disturbed the calm way of life of the inhabitants of Pompeii. And even when on August 24 a frightening roar was heard from the bowels of the earth, the townspeople decided to flee within the walls of their houses. At night the volcano woke up completely. People fled to the sea, but the lava caught up with them near the shore. Soon their fate was decided - almost everyone ended their lives under a thick layer of lava, dirt and ash.
The next day, the elements mercilessly attacked Pompeii. Most of the townspeople, whose number reached 20 thousand, managed to leave the city even before the disaster began, but about 2 thousand still died on the streets. Human. The exact number of victims has not yet been established, since the remains are found outside the city, in the surrounding area.
Let's try to feel the scale of the disaster by turning to the work of the Russian painter Karl Bryullov.
The next major eruption occurred in 1631. It should be noted that a large number of victims were not due to a powerful emission of lava and ash, but due to the high population density. Just imagine, sad historical experience did not impress people enough - they still densely settled and continue to settle near Vesuvius!
Volcano Santorini
Today, the Greek island of Santorini is a tasty morsel for tourists: white stone houses, cozy atmospheric streets, scenic view. There is only one thing that overshadows the romance - the proximity to the most formidable volcano in the world.
Santorini is an active shield volcano located on the island of Thira in the Aegean Sea. Its strongest eruption was 1645-1600 BC. e. caused the death of Aegean cities and settlements on the islands of Crete, Thira and the coast Mediterranean Sea. The power of the eruption is impressive: it is three times stronger than the Krakatoa eruption and equals seven points!
Of course, such a strong explosion managed not only to reshape the landscape, but also change the climate. Huge cubes of ash thrown into the atmosphere prevented the sun's rays from touching the Earth, which led to global cooling. The fate of the Minoan civilization, the center of which was the island of Thira, is shrouded in mystery. The earthquake warned local residents of the impending disaster, and they left their native land in time. When great amount ash and pumice came out from the inside of the volcano, the volcanic cone collapsed under the force of its own gravity. Sea water poured into the abyss, creating a huge tsunami that washed away nearby settlements. There was no more Mount Santorini. A huge oval chasm, the volcanic caldera, was forever filled with the waters of the Aegean Sea.
Recently, researchers found that the volcano has become more active. Almost 14 million cubic meters of magma have accumulated in it - it seems that Sentorini can reassert itself!
Volcano Unzen
The Unzen volcanic complex, which consists of four domes, became a real synonym for disaster for the Japanese. It is located on the Shimabara Peninsula, its height is 1500 m.
In 1792, one of the most destructive eruptions in human history occurred. At one point, a 55-meter tsunami arose, destroying more than 15 thousand inhabitants. Of these, 5 thousand died during the landslide, 5 thousand drowned during the tsunami that hit Higo, 5 thousand - from the wave returning to Shimabara. The tragedy is forever etched in the hearts of the Japanese people. Helplessness in the face of the raging elements, the pain from the loss of a huge number of people was immortalized in numerous monuments that we can see in Japan.
After this terrible event, Unzen fell silent for almost two centuries. But in 1991 another eruption occurred. 43 scientists and journalists were buried under the pyroplastic flow. Since then, the volcano has erupted several times. Currently, although it is considered weakly active, it is under close monitoring by scientists.
Vulkae Tambora
Volcano Tambora is located on the island of Sumbawa. Its eruption in 1815 is rightfully considered the most powerful eruption in human history. It is possible that more powerful eruptions have occurred during the existence of the Earth, but we have no information about this.
So, in 1815, nature went wild: an eruption occurred with a magnitude of 7 on the scale of eruption intensity (explosive force) of a volcano, the maximum value being 8. The disaster shocked the entire Indonesian archipelago. Just think about it, the energy released during the eruption is equal to the energy of two hundred thousand atomic bombs! 92 thousand people were killed! Places with once fertile soil turned into lifeless space, resulting in a terrible famine. Thus, 48 thousand people died from hunger on the island of Sumbawa, 44 thousand on the island of Lambok, 5 thousand on the island of Bali.
However, the consequences were observed even far from the eruption - the climate of all of Europe underwent changes. The fateful year of 1815 was called “the year without summer”: the temperature became noticeably lower, and in a number of European countries it was not even possible to harvest the harvest.
Volcano Krakatoa
Krakatau is an active volcano in Indonesia, located between the islands of Java and Sumatra in the Malay Archipelago in the Sunda Strait. Its height is 813 m.
Before the 1883 eruption, the volcano was much higher and consisted of one large island. However, an eruption in 1883 destroyed the island and the volcano. On the morning of August 27, Krakatoa fired four strong shots, each of which resulted in a powerful tsunami. Huge masses of water poured into populated areas with such speed that residents did not have time to climb a nearby hill. The water, sweeping away everything in its path, raked in crowds of frightened people and carried them away, turning the once flourishing lands into a lifeless space full of chaos and death. So, the tsunami caused the death of 90% of those killed! The rest fell to volcanic debris, ash and gas. The total number of victims was 36.5 thousand people.
Most of the island went under water. Ashes captured the whole of Indonesia: the sun was not visible for several days, the islands of Java and Sumatra were covered in pitch darkness. On the other side of the Pacific Ocean the sun has become Blue colour due to the huge amount of ash released during the eruption process. Volcanic debris released into the atmosphere managed to change the color of sunsets around the world for three whole years. They turned bright red and it seemed as if nature itself symbolized human death with this unusual phenomenon.
30 thousand people died as a result of the powerful eruption of the Mont Pelee volcano, which is located in Martinique, the most beautiful island Caribbean Sea. The fire-breathing mountain spared nothing, everything was destroyed, including the nearby elegant, cozy city of Saint-Pierre - the Paris of the West Indies, into the construction of which the French invested all their knowledge and strength.
The volcano began its inactive activity back in 1753. However, rare emissions of gases, flames and the absence of serious explosions gradually established the fame of Mont Pele as a capricious, but by no means formidable volcano. Subsequently, it became only a part of the beautiful natural landscape and served for the residents rather as a decoration of their area. Despite this, when in the spring of 1902, when Mont-Pele began to broadcast danger with tremors and a column of smoke, the townspeople did not hesitate. Sensing trouble, they decided to flee in time: some sought refuge in the mountains, others in the water.
Their determination was seriously affected by the huge number of snakes that slid down the slopes of Mont Pele and filled the entire city. Victims from the bites, then from the boiling lake, which was located not far from the crater, overflowed its banks and poured into the back part of the city in a huge stream - all this convinced residents of the need for urgent evacuation. However, the local government considered these precautions unnecessary. The mayor of the city, extremely concerned about the upcoming elections, was too interested in the turnout of citizens at such an important political event. He took the necessary measures to ensure that the population did not leave the city; he personally persuaded the residents to stay. As a result, most of them did not attempt to escape; those who escaped returned, resuming their usual way of life.
On the morning of May 8, a deafening roar was heard, a huge cloud of ash and gases flew out of the crater, instantly descended along the slopes of Mont Pele and... swept away everything in its path. In one minute this amazing, thriving town was completely destroyed. Factories, houses, trees, people - everything was melted, torn out, poisoned, burned, tormented. It is believed that the death of the unfortunates occurred in the first three minutes. Of the 30 thousand inhabitants, only two were lucky enough to survive.
On May 20, the volcano exploded again with the same force, which led to the death of 2 thousand rescuers who were raking the ruins of the destroyed city at that moment. On August 30, a third explosion occurred, leading to the death of thousands of residents of nearby villages. Mont Pele erupted several more times until 1905, after which it went into hibernation until 1929, when a rather powerful eruption occurred, however, without causing casualties.
These days the volcano is considered inactive, Saint-Pierre is being restored, but after these terrible events it has little chance of regaining the status of the most beautiful city in Martinique.
Volcano Nevado Del Ruiz
Due to its impressive height (5400m), Nevado del Ruiz is rightfully considered the highest active volcano in the Andes mountain range. Its top is shrouded in ice and snow - that is why its name is “Nevado”, which means “snowy”. It is located in the volcanic zone of Colombia - the Caldas and Tolima regions.
Nevado del Ruiz is one of the deadliest volcanoes in the world for a reason. Eruptions leading to mass death have occurred three times already. In 1595, over 600 people were buried under the ashes. In 1845, a strong earthquake killed 1 thousand inhabitants.
And finally, in 1985, when the volcano was already considered dormant, 23 thousand people died. It should be noted that the cause of the latest disaster was the outrageous negligence of the authorities, who did not consider it necessary to monitor volcanic activity. On this moment 500 thousand residents of nearby areas are at risk of becoming victims of a new eruption every day.
So, in 1985, the crater of the volcano ejected powerful gas-pyroclastic flows. Because of them, the ice at the top melted, which led to the formation of lahars - volcanic flows that instantly moved down the slopes. This avalanche of water, clay, and pumice destroyed everything in its path. Destroying rocks, soil, plants and absorbing it all, the lahars quadrupled during the journey!
The thickness of the streams was 5 meters. One of them destroyed the city of Armero in an instant; out of 29 thousand inhabitants, 23 thousand died! Many of the survivors died in hospitals as a result of infection, epidemic typhus and yellow fever. Among all the volcanic disasters known to us, Nevado del Ruiz ranks fourth in terms of the number of human deaths. Devastation, chaos, disfigured human bodies, screams and moans - this is what appeared before the eyes of the rescuers who arrived the next day.
To understand the horror of the tragedy, let's take a look at the now famous photograph of journalist Frank Fournier. It shows 13-year-old Omaira Sanchez, who, finding herself among the rubble of buildings and unable to get out, bravely fought for her life for three days, but was unable to win this unequal battle. You can imagine how many lives of such children, teenagers, women, and old people were taken by the raging elements.
Toba is located on the island of Sumatra. Its height is 2157 m, it has the largest caldera in the world (area 1775 sq. km.), in which it formed largest lake of volcanic origin.
Toba is interesting because it is a supervolcano, i.e. From the outside it is practically invisible; it can only be seen from space. We can be on the surface of this kind of volcano for thousands of years, and only learn about its existence at the moment of a catastrophe. It is worth noting that while an ordinary fire-breathing mountain has an eruption, such a supervolcano has an explosion.
What happened during the last ice age The eruption of Toba is considered one of the most powerful during the existence of our planet. 2800 km³ of magma came out of the volcano’s caldera, and the ash deposits that covered South Asia, Indian Ocean, Arabian and South China Seas, reached 800 km³. Thousands of years later, scientists discovered the smallest ash particles 7 thousand km away. from a volcano on the territory of the African Lake Nyasa.
As a result of the huge amount of ash emitted by the volcano, the sun was obscured. A real volcanic winter set in, lasting several years.
The number of people decreased sharply - only a few thousand people managed to survive! It is with the explosion of Toba that the “bottleneck” effect is associated - a theory according to which in ancient times the human population was distinguished by genetic diversity, but most of the people suddenly died out as a result of a natural disaster, thus reducing the gene pool.
El Chichon is the southernmost volcano in Mexico, located in the state of Chiapas. Its age is 220 thousand years.
It is noteworthy that until recently local residents were not at all concerned about the proximity to the volcano. The issue of security was also not relevant because the areas adjacent to the volcano were rich in dense forests, which indicated the long-term hibernation of El Chichon. However, on March 28, 1982, after 12 hundred years of peaceful sleep, the fire-breathing mountain demonstrated its full destructive power. The first stage of the eruption entailed a powerful explosion, as a result of which a huge ash column (height - 27 km) formed over the crater, which covered an area within a radius of 100 km in less than an hour.
A huge amount of tephra was released into the atmosphere, and heavy ashfalls occurred around the volcano. About 2 thousand people died. It should be noted that the evacuation of the population was poorly organized and the process was slow. Many residents left the territory, but after a while they returned, which, of course, led to dire consequences for them.
In May of the same year, the next eruption occurred, which was even more powerful and destructive than the previous one. The convergence of the pyroclastic flow left a scorched strip of land and a thousand human deaths.
The disaster was not going to stop there. Local residents suffered two more Plinian eruptions, which generated a 29-kilometer column of ash. The number of victims again reached a thousand people.
The consequences of the eruption affected the country's climate. A huge cloud of ash covered 240 square km; in the capital, visibility was only a few meters. Due to ash particles hanging in the layers of the stratosphere, a noticeable cooling occurred.
In addition, the natural balance has been disrupted. Many birds and animals were destroyed. Some types of insects began to grow rapidly, which resulted in the destruction of most of the crop.
The shield volcano Laki is located in the south of Iceland in the Skaftafell Park (since 2008 it has been part of the Vatnajökull National Park). The volcano is also called the Laki crater, because. it is part of a mountain system consisting of 115 craters.
In 1783 one of the most powerful eruptions, which set a world record for the number of human casualties! In Iceland alone, almost 20 thousand lives were lost – that’s one third of the population. However, the volcano carried its destructive impact beyond the borders of its country - death even reached Africa. There are many destructive, deadly volcanoes on Earth, but Lucky is the only one of his kind who killed slowly, gradually, in various ways.
The most interesting thing is that the volcano warned residents about the upcoming danger as best it could. Seismic displacements, uplifting land, raging geysers, explosions of pillars into the air, whirlpools, boiling of the sea - there were plenty of signs of an imminent eruption. For several weeks in a row, the land literally shook under the feet of the Icelanders, which, of course, scared them, but no one attempted to escape. People were confident that their homes were strong enough to protect them from the eruption. They hunkered down at home, tightly locking the windows and doors.
In January, the formidable neighbor made himself known. He raged until June. During these six months of eruptions, Mount Skaptar-Ekul split open and a huge 24-meter chasm formed. Harmful gases came out and formed a powerful lava flow. Imagine how many such flows there were - hundreds of craters erupted! When the flows reached the sea, the lava solidified, but the water boiled, and all the fish within a radius of several kilometers from the shore died.
Sulfur dioxide covered the entire territory of Iceland, which led to acid rain and destruction of vegetation. As a result, agriculture suffered greatly, and famine and disease struck the surviving inhabitants.
Soon “Hungry Haze” reached all of Europe, and a few years later to China. The climate changed, dust particles did not allow the rays of the sun to pass through, summer never came. Temperatures dropped by 1.3 ºC, leading to cold-related deaths, crop failure and famine in many European countries. The eruption left its mark even on Africa. Due to the abnormal cold, the temperature contrast was minimal, which led to a decrease in monsoon activity, drought, shallowing of the Nile, and crop failure. Africans died en masse from starvation.
Volcano Etna
Mount Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and one of the most large volcanoes in the world. It is located on the east coast of Sicily, near the cities of Messina and Catania. Its circumference is 140 km and covers an area of approximately 1.4 thousand square meters. km.
There have been approximately 140 powerful eruptions of this volcano in modern times. In 1669 Catania was destroyed. In 1893, the Silvestri crater appeared. In 1911 a northeastern crater formed. In 1992 a huge lava flow stopped near Zafferana Etnea. IN last time the volcano erupted with lava in 2001, destroying the cable car leading to the crater.
Currently, the volcano is a popular place for hiking and skiing. Several half-empty towns are located at the foot of the fire-breathing mountain, but few dare to risk living there. Here and there, gases escape from the depths of the earth; it is impossible to predict when, where and with what power the next eruption will occur.
Volcano Merapi
Marapi is the most active active volcano in Indonesia. It is located on the island of Java near the city of Yogyakarta. Its height is 2914 meters. This is a relatively young, but quite restless volcano: since 1548 it has erupted 68 times!
The close proximity to such an active fire-breathing mountain is very dangerous. But, as is usually the case in economically undeveloped countries, local residents, without thinking about the risk, appreciate the benefit that the mineral-rich soil gives them - abundant harvests. Thus, about 1.5 million people currently live near Marapi.
Strong eruptions occur every 7 years, smaller ones every couple of years, and the volcano smokes almost daily. Disaster of 1006 The Javanese-Indian kingdom of Mataram was completely destroyed. In 1673 One of the most powerful eruptions occurred, as a result of which several cities and villages were wiped off the face of the Earth. There were nine eruptions in the 19th century, 13 in the last century.
In fact, volcanoes have shaped the appearance of the Earth over millions of years. Here are the most serious volcano-related disasters in human history.
№8 . Experts believe that largest eruption volcano, which happened at the dawn of mankind, happened in Sumatra: volcano Toba erupted 71,000 years ago. Then about 2800 cubic meters were released into the atmosphere. km of ash, which could reduce the human population worldwide to just 10,000 people.
№7. Eruption El Chichon was not particularly large (5 on the VEI scale), with a maximum height of the eruptive column of 29 km. But there was a lot of sulfur in the cloud. In less than one month it surrounded the globe, but six months passed before it spread to 30° N. c, practically not spreading to the Southern Hemisphere. Samples collected by airplanes and balloons showed that the cloud particles were mostly tiny glass beads coated with sulfuric acid. Gradually sticking together, they settled faster on the ground, and after a year the mass of the remaining cloud was reduced to about an ounce from the original one. Absorption of sunlight by cloud particles warmed the equatorial stratosphere by 4° in June 1982, but at ground level in the Northern Hemisphere, temperatures fell by 0.4°.
№6. Lucky , a volcano in Iceland. Laki is a chain of more than 110-115 craters up to 818 m high, stretching for 25 km, centered on the Grimsvötn volcano and including the Eldgja Canyon and the Katla volcano. In 1783-1784, a powerful fissure eruption (6 on the eruption scale) occurred on Laki and the neighboring Grimsvotn volcano, releasing about 15 km³ of basaltic lava over 8 months. The length of the lava flow that erupted from a 25-kilometer fissure exceeded 130 km, and the area covered by it was 565 km². Clouds of toxic fluorine and sulfur dioxide compounds rose into the air, killing more than 50% of Iceland's livestock; Volcanic ash partially or completely covered pastures across most of the island. Huge masses of ice melted by lava led to large-scale floods. A famine began, leading to the death of approximately 10 thousand people or 20% of the country's population. This eruption is considered one of the most destructive in history. last millennium and the largest lava eruption in historical time. Fine ash erupted by the volcano was present in the second half of 1783 over most of Eurasia. The drop in temperature in the northern hemisphere caused by the eruption led to crop failure and famine in Europe in 1784.
№5. Eruption Vesuvius, perhaps the most famous eruption in the world. Vesuvius (Italian Vesuvio, Neap. Vesuvio) is an active volcano in southern Italy, about 15 km from Naples. Located on the shores of the Gulf of Naples in the province of Naples, Campania region. It is part of the Apennine mountain system and has an altitude of 1281 m.
The disaster killed 10,000 people and destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
№4 . In 1883 there was a catastrophic volcanic eruption Krakatoa, which destroyed most of the island of the same name.
The eruption began in May. Until the end of August, a significant amount of rock was removed by explosions, which led to the devastation of the “underground chamber” under Krakatoa. The last powerful explosion of the pre-climax stage occurred at dawn on August 27. The ash column reached a height of 30 km. On August 28, most of the island, under its own weight and the pressure of the water column, collapsed into the voids below sea level, dragging with it a huge mass of ocean water, the contact of which with magma caused a powerful hydromagmatic explosion.
A significant part of the volcanic structure scattered within a radius of up to 500 km. This range of expansion was ensured by the rise of magma and rocks into rarefied layers of the atmosphere, to a height of up to 55 km. The gas-ash column rose into the mesosphere to a height of over 70 km. Ash fall occurred in the eastern Indian Ocean over an area of over 4 million km². The volume of material ejected by the explosion was about 18 km³. The force of the explosion (6 points on the eruption scale), according to geologists, was no less than 200 thousand times greater than the force of the explosion that destroyed Hiroshima.
The roar of the explosion was clearly audible within a radius of 4 thousand km. On the coasts of Sumatra and Java, the noise level, according to scientists, reached 180 decibels or more.
A significant amount of volcanic ash remained in the atmosphere at altitudes of up to 80 km for several years and caused intense colors of the dawns.
The tsunami raised by the explosion, up to 30 m high, led to the death of about 36 thousand people on the neighboring islands; 295 cities and villages were washed into the sea. Many of them, before the tsunami approached, were probably destroyed by the air wave, which felled equatorial forests on the coast of the Sunda Strait and tore roofs off houses and doors off their hinges in Jakarta, 150 km from the disaster site. The atmosphere of the entire Earth was disturbed by the explosion for several days. The air wave circled the Earth, according to various sources, from 7 to 11 times.
№3 . For a long time, people believed the Colombian volcano Ruiz if not extinct, then at least dormant. They had reason for this: the last time this volcano erupted was in 1595, and then showed no signs of activity for almost five centuries.
The first signs of Ruiz's awakening became noticeable on November 12, 1985, when ash began to erupt from the crater. At 9 pm on November 13, several explosions occurred and a full-scale eruption began. The height of the column of smoke and rock fragments thrown out by explosions reached 8 meters. Due to the outpouring of lava and the release of hot gases, the temperature increased, as a result of which the snow and ice covering the volcano melted. Late in the evening, a mudflow reached the city of Armero, located 40 kilometers from the volcano, and virtually wiped it off the face of the earth. Several surrounding villages were also destroyed. Oil pipelines and power lines were damaged, bridges were destroyed. Due to downed telephone lines and washed out roads, communication with the affected area was interrupted.
According to official data from the Colombian government, about 23 thousand people died or went missing as a result of the eruption, and another 5 thousand were seriously injured or maimed. Tens of thousands of Colombians lost their homes and property. Coffee plantations were seriously damaged by the eruption: not only the coffee trees themselves were destroyed, but also a significant part of the already harvested crop. Colombia's economy suffered significant damage.
№2. Mont Pele . This eruption, which occurred in 1902 on the island of Martinique, became the strongest in the 20th century. Residents of the city of Saint-Pierre, located in Martinique, located only 8 kilometers from the Mont Pelee volcano, are accustomed to considering this mountain a peaceful neighbor. And, since last eruption This volcano, which happened in 1851, was very weak; they did not pay much attention to the tremors and rumble that began at the end of April 1902. By May, the volcano’s activity intensified, and on May 8, one of the worst natural disasters of the 20th century erupted.
At about 8 a.m., Mont Pele erupted. A cloud of ash and rocks was thrown into the air, and a stream of lava rushed towards the city. However, the most terrible thing was not the ash and lava, but the hot volcanic gases that swept through Saint-Pierre at great speed, causing fires. Desperate people tried to escape on the ships standing in the port, but only the steamer Roddan managed to go to sea. Unfortunately, almost all of its crew and passengers died due to burns, leaving only the captain and driver alive.
As a result of the volcanic eruption, the city of Saint-Pierre was almost completely destroyed, and all the people and animals in it died. The Mont Pele eruption killed more than 30 thousand people; Of the city residents, only the criminal who was in the underground prison was able to survive.
Currently, Saint-Pierre has been partially restored, and a museum of volcanology has been built at the foot of Mont Pelée.
№1 Tambora
The first signs of the awakening of the volcano became noticeable back in 1812, when the first streams of smoke appeared over the top of Tambora. Gradually the amount of smoke increased, it became denser and darker. On April 5, 1815, a strong explosion occurred and an eruption began. The noise produced by the volcano was so strong that it was heard even 1,400 kilometers from the scene. The tons of sand and volcanic dust thrown out by Tambora covered the entire area within a radius of one hundred kilometers with a thick layer. Residential buildings not only on the island of Sumbawa, but also on neighboring islands, collapsed under the weight of the ash. The ashes even reached the island of Borneo, located 750 kilometers from Tambora. The amount of smoke and dust in the air was so great that it was night within a radius of 500 kilometers from the volcano for three days. According to eyewitnesses, they did not see anything further than their own hand.
This terrible eruption, which lasted about 10 days, according to conservative estimates, claimed the lives of 50 thousand people. There are data according to which the death toll exceeded 90 thousand. Almost the entire population of Sumbawa was destroyed, and the inhabitants of the neighboring islands suffered severely both from the release of ash and huge stones, and from starvation resulting from the destruction of fields and livestock.
Due to the Tambora eruption, a huge amount of ash and dust accumulated in the Earth's atmosphere, and this had an impact on significant influence on the climate of the entire planet. The year 1816 went down in history as the “year without summer.” Unusually cold temperatures have caused crop failures and famines on the east coast of North America and Europe this year. In some countries, snow remained for most of the summer, and in New York and in the northeastern part of the United States, the thickness of the snow cover reached a meter. The effect of this volcanic winter gives an idea of one of the consequences of a possible atomic war - nuclear winter.
