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Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions
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Are You Ready?
A Decade of Wildfires
Recent Volcanic Activity
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Worst United States Disasters
Disaster Survival Guide
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Mount Vesuvius and other volcanoes of the world by Ben Snowden
Mount Vesuvius’ 1944 eruption
Other Volcanoes Mount St. Helens (Washington State) Mount Etna (Sicily) Mount Kilauea (Hawaii) Mauna Loa (Hawaii) Izalco (El Salvador) Askja (Iceland) More Volcano Information Deadliest Eruptions Volcanoes of the World Principal Types of Volcanoes Recent Activity Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions Encyclopedia: Volcanoes External Links Volcano World Volcanoes.com
One of the most fascinating, if tragic, natural disasters of the last two thousand years occurred on August 24, 79 A.D. On this day, Mount Vesuvius (located near Naples, Italy) erupted, engulfing the nearby cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in a tremendous flow of cinder, ashes, and mud. Those inhabitants foolish enough to have remained in town at the time of the eruption were buried in this pyroclastic flow until the remains of Pompeii were discovered, almost perfectly preserved, in 1748. The cinders and ashes that buried the town also kept it surprisingly intact, down to the fresh colors in wall paintings. Sporadically excavated over the past 250 years, Pompeii has provided a wealth of knowledge about ancient Roman civilization. Almost Same Day, Almost Same Results Eighteen hundred four years—almost to the day—after Pompeii was buried, an even larger volcanic catastrophe occurred half a world away. On Aug. 26–28, 1883, Krakatau, between the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java, erupted, destroying two-thirds of the island and discharging an immense cloud of dust that spread across the Earth, lowering global temperature by as much as 1.2 degrees C the following year. Krakatau’s explosions also produced forty-meter high tsunamis that hurled ashore pieces of coral weighing 600 tons, and whose residual waves were observed as far away as Cape Horn and England. More than 36,000 people died in the disaster. Still a Threat Like Vesuvius (which also erupted in 1872, 1906, and 1944, as well as several other times), Krakatau is still active; stirrings were recorded as recently as April 1996. And there are hundreds of other active volcanoes worldwide (Indonesia alone has 130). Many of these are submarine volcanoes whose activity goes undetected, but more than 500 volcanoes have had significant eruptions in recorded history. More Disasters!
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Mount Vesuvius and other volcanoes of the world
One of the most fascinating, if tragic, natural disasters of the last two thousand years occurred on August 24, 79 A.D. On this day, Mount Vesuvius (located near Naples, Italy) erupted, engulfing the nearby cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in a tremendous flow of cinder, ashes, and mud.
Mount Vesuvius’ 1944 eruption
Other Volcanoes
- Mount St. Helens (Washington State)
- Mount Etna (Sicily)
- Mount Kilauea (Hawaii)
- Mauna Loa (Hawaii)
- Izalco (El Salvador)
- Askja (Iceland)
More Volcano Information
- Deadliest Eruptions
- Volcanoes of the World
- Principal Types of Volcanoes
- Recent Activity
- Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions
- Encyclopedia: Volcanoes
External Links
- Volcano World
- Volcanoes.com
Those inhabitants foolish enough to have remained in town at the time of the eruption were buried in this pyroclastic flow until the remains of Pompeii were discovered, almost perfectly preserved, in 1748.
The cinders and ashes that buried the town also kept it surprisingly intact, down to the fresh colors in wall paintings. Sporadically excavated over the past 250 years, Pompeii has provided a wealth of knowledge about ancient Roman civilization.
Almost Same Day, Almost Same Results
Eighteen hundred four years—almost to the day—after Pompeii was buried, an even larger volcanic catastrophe occurred half a world away. On Aug. 26–28, 1883, Krakatau, between the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java, erupted, destroying two-thirds of the island and discharging an immense cloud of dust that spread across the Earth, lowering global temperature by as much as 1.2 degrees C the following year.
Krakatau’s explosions also produced forty-meter high tsunamis that hurled ashore pieces of coral weighing 600 tons, and whose residual waves were observed as far away as Cape Horn and England. More than 36,000 people died in the disaster.
Still a Threat
Like Vesuvius (which also erupted in 1872, 1906, and 1944, as well as several other times), Krakatau is still active; stirrings were recorded as recently as April 1996. And there are hundreds of other active volcanoes worldwide (Indonesia alone has 130). Many of these are submarine volcanoes whose activity goes undetected, but more than 500 volcanoes have had significant eruptions in recorded history.
- More Disasters!
.com/spot/volcano1.html
Sources +
Our Common Sources
Our Common Sources
Volcanic Eruption Under Ice
- Volcanic Eruption Under Ice
TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Current Events This Week: January 2023
African Americans by the Numbers
Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Current Events This Week: January 2023
African Americans by the Numbers
Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
- Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
- The Twelve Dancing Princesses
- Current Events This Week: January 2023
- African Americans by the Numbers
- Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
- The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
✖
✖
Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions
Worst U.S. Forest Fires
Natural Disasters
Washington State Mudslide Tragedy
Major Floods
Major Avalanches
Are You Ready?
A Decade of Wildfires
Recent Volcanic Activity
Floods, Avalanches, and Tidal Waves
Worst United States Disasters
Disaster Survival Guide
Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions
Worst U.S. Forest Fires
Natural Disasters
Washington State Mudslide Tragedy
Major Floods
Major Avalanches
Are You Ready?
A Decade of Wildfires
Recent Volcanic Activity
Floods, Avalanches, and Tidal Waves
Worst United States Disasters
Disaster Survival Guide
Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions
Worst U.S. Forest Fires
Natural Disasters
Washington State Mudslide Tragedy
Major Floods
Major Avalanches
Are You Ready?
A Decade of Wildfires
Recent Volcanic Activity
Floods, Avalanches, and Tidal Waves
Worst United States Disasters
Disaster Survival Guide
Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions
Worst U.S. Forest Fires
Natural Disasters
Washington State Mudslide Tragedy
Major Floods
Major Avalanches
Are You Ready?
A Decade of Wildfires
Recent Volcanic Activity
Floods, Avalanches, and Tidal Waves
Worst United States Disasters
Disaster Survival Guide
- Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions
- Worst U.S. Forest Fires
- Natural Disasters
- Washington State Mudslide Tragedy
- Major Floods
- Major Avalanches
- Are You Ready?
- A Decade of Wildfires
- Recent Volcanic Activity
- Floods, Avalanches, and Tidal Waves
- Worst United States Disasters
- Disaster Survival Guide
Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions
Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions
Worst U.S. Forest Fires
Worst U.S. Forest Fires
Natural Disasters
Natural Disasters
Washington State Mudslide Tragedy
Washington State Mudslide Tragedy
Major Floods
Major Floods
Major Avalanches
Major Avalanches
Are You Ready?
Are You Ready?
A Decade of Wildfires
A Decade of Wildfires
Recent Volcanic Activity
Recent Volcanic Activity
Floods, Avalanches, and Tidal Waves
Floods, Avalanches, and Tidal Waves
Worst United States Disasters
Worst United States Disasters
Disaster Survival Guide
Disaster Survival Guide
