A volcano eruption is probably one of the fiercest sights of nature.
The temperatures of the lava can reach up to 1200 degree Celsius!
The thought of standing close to it, let alone touch it, is enough to shudders in most!
Here’s a look at some of the most dangerous volcanoes of today!
13.
Yellowstone Caldera, USA – The Yellowstone national park witnesses many tourists from
far and wide because of its hot springs and erupting geysers!
But what many might not know is that it all sits on top of a super volcano, which if erupts,
could wipe out entire Western America!
A super volcano is basically a massive volcano and thankfully, humans have never witnessed one.
The last known super volcanic explosion was over 2.1 million years ago.
Another thing which separates a super volcano from a regular one is that there is no cone shape mountain.
It forms inside a caldera, a kind of hole in the ground, and all of Yellowstone is basically just that.
Estimates say that if Yellowstone caldera ever decides to erupt, it would kill 87,000
people immediately and the aftermaths like ash and gas would probably damage the food
supply of the entire world!
Let us just hope that it never does though!
12.
Mt. Vesuvius, Italy – This is probably the most dangerous volcano in the world today,
as not only does it have a history of exploding every 20 years or so, but it is also located
close to the densely populated area of Naples, Italy.
There are over 3 million people who would be affected directly if Vesuvius erupts and
although the last eruption was in 1944, scientists have calculated that it has an eruption cycle
of 20 years or so! Vesuvius is the only known volcano to have
erupted on the European mainland and it is perhaps most remembered for the eruption in
79 AD, when it burnt down and buried the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
So if you were planning a trip to Naples, do ensure that Vesuvius isn’t in the mood first!
11.
Popocatepetl, Mexico – When you think of volcanoes, you definitely wouldn’t think
of it being close to a glacier right?
Ice and Fire don’t really mix after all, do they?
But Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico actually contained a glacier.
But that was before 2001, when the glacier melted away and the primary reason for that
was increased volcano activity.
It is the most active volcano in Mexico and there have been 15 major eruptions since 1519!
The last time that Popocatepetl erupted was in 2000 and since it lies just 35 miles from
Mexico City, the evacuation of almost 41,000 people in the surrounding areas was needed
to prevent a major catastrophe.
10.
Taal, Philippines – A picturesque island is definitely something you would want to explore right?
But when it comes to the volcano island of Philippines, do show a little caution.
It houses the Taal volcano, the second most active volcano in the Philippines.
It has had 33 recorded eruptions since 1572 and has claimed the lives of 5,000 – 6000 people till date.
The Taal volcano is a cinder cone one which is probably why most of the eruptions have
been confined to the intra-caldera region of the volcano.
And while some adventure junkies might want to visit the volcano island, it is better
to view the island from a distance!
9.
Grimsvotn, Iceland – In southeast Iceland, the Grimsvotn volcano was responsible for
bringing air traffic in almost all of Europe to a standstill in 2011.
It is a basaltic volcano and has the highest eruption frequency in Iceland.
It actually brought life to a standstill when it erupted along with the Laki during 1783,
but the Grimsvotn kept on erupting till 1785!
The structure of the grimsvotn is such that eruption melt a lot of water and they fill
the caldera which cause enormous pressure.
Hence, it has to be monitored closely at all times.
8.
Mauna Loa, Hawai – The island of Hawaii is home to 5 volcanoes and the largest of
these, and in fact, the world, is Mauna Loa.
It is an extremely active volcano which has been erupting from time to time for the last 700,000 years!
The last eruption occurred in 1984 but thankfully the terrain around the mountain is such that
it does not allow the lava to flow very fast and so it does not pose that much of a threat to human lives.
But in the case of major eruptions like the one in 1950, the entire village of Hoókena
Mauka was destroyed by the flowing lava.
It is one of the most closely watched volcanoes in the world as it offers a good chance of
studying and understanding how volcanoes work better!
7.
Sakurajima, Japan – The Sakurajima volcano in Japan was once isolated on an island.
But the resulting lava flow from a major eruption in 1915 saw it being connected to the Osumi peninsula.
It is often referred to as the Vesuvius of the East as it is very active and keeps depositing
volcanic ash in its surroundings.
In fact, the white sands highland near it were also a result of volcanic activity.
The Sakurajima is a stratovolcano, and its summit has 3 peaks, the highest being Kita-dake.
It is estimated that over 22,000 years ago, a massive explosion caused the magma chambers
under it to collapse which formed a caldera and later activity in the caldera led to the
formation of Sakurajima.
When a team of scientists studied Sakurajima in 2016, they predicted a major eruption in
the next 30 years!
We suggest that if you want to visit Japan, do it soon before that eruption actually happens!
6.
Santa Maria, Guatemala – When a volcano makes it to the list of the five biggest eruptions
in the last 200 years, you know that it means business!
Santa Maria is a large, active volcano in the Western highlands of Guatemala.
It was known as Gagxanul in the past and eruptions began over 30,000 years ago.
In that time, small and frequent eruptions have led to the cone of the Santa Maria building
up to over 1400 metres!
Thankfully, after the formation of the huge cone, the activity pattern changed with long periods of inactivity.
But in 1902, it surprised everyone by erupting and spewing over 5.5 cubic kilometres of magma
and volcanic ash travelled as far as up to San Francisco, over 4000 kilometres away!
Because of its inactivity for long, the nearby residents did not pay heed to the preceding
tremors and over 5000 lost their lives in the eruption, while the resulting malaria claimed many more.
5.
Colima, Mexico – Standing at an impressive height of over 12000 feet, the Volcan de Fuego,
or Volcan de Colima as it is locally known, is one of the most active volcanoes in Mexico and North America.
Since 1576, it has erupted more than 40 times.
The most recent ones include 1991 when a lava dome rose and collapsed, 1998 when 9 kilometre
high eruptive columns were seen, 2015 when lava flowed from the flank of the mountain
and produced rock showers!
Perhaps the biggest eruption occurred in 1913 when 40 metre thick ash deposits were formed!
And while it has since seen people settling down near it, they are always on high alert!
4.
Galeras, Colombia – Near the border of Ecuador in Colombia stands Mount Galeras which has
been active from approximately a million years!
The first recorded eruption was in 1580, and has since been erupting regularly.
And because it is very close to the city of Pasto, where 450,000 people stay, it is an
extremely dangerous volcano.
Galeras was reported to have gone dormant in 1978, but just 10 years later, it became
active and has been erupting almost every year.
In 1993, when a conference was being held to make people aware of its dangers, Galeras
erupted again, perhaps to prove a point!
3.
Mount Merapi, Indonesia – Translated literally, Mount Merapi means Mountain of fire.
Which is pretty apt, considering that it is the most active volcano in Indonesia.
And not just there, it holds the dubious record of producing the maximum amount of lava flow in the world.
Merapi has been active for over 10,000 years and has been actively erupting since 1548.
Many consider that it was the reason behind the downfall of the Mataram kingdom.
Generally, the lava flow from Merapi reaches up to 3-4 miles, though it has been known
to throw lava up to 8 miles while travelling at a speed of 70 miles per hour!
In one of the worst cases in recent times, Merapi’s eruption in 2010 led to the deaths
of 353 people while 320,000 were left homeless.
2.
Ulawun, Papua New guinea – At a height of over 7600 feet, Ulawun is a basaltic stratovolcano situated in Papua New Guinea.
It is one of the most active volcanoes in the region with 22 recorded eruptions since the 18th century.
The first recorded eruption of Ulawun was in 1700.
In the recent years, the activity inside the mountain has been almost constant with small
explosions offering covering its nearby areas with ash.
Another danger that it poses is that because of its height, an eruption could cause a structural
collapse that would spread the destruction to hundreds of kilometres.
Let us hope that the activity remains just that!
1.
Mt. Nyiragongo, Congo – One of the most active volcanoes in the African continent,
Mt. Nyiragongo is known for having lava lakes which appear near its crater.
This actually makes it unique, because nowhere else in the world does such a steep sided
stratovolcano contain such a large lake of fluid lava.
In fact, during 1894 to 1977, the summit was filled with a large and active lava lake and
a crack in the wall caused it to flow out at speeds of over 60 miles per hour!
It posed a great harm to the region and affected several thousand people of the nearby villages.
And that wasn’t the worst.
In 2002, a major explosion took place in Mt. Nyiragongo which caused the lava stream to
flow through the provincial capital of Goma.
Thankfully, scientists had predicted the impending eruption because of which the authorities
had ordered the evacuation of over 400,000 citizens.
But the fury of Nyiragongo still laid claim to over 4500 buildings which left almost 120,000 homeless.
The tremors after the eruption caused further destruction but thanks to the quick action
of the authorities, a major crisis was averted.
There were still about 147 people who died due to the eruption, and they were probably
the ones who got accidently left behind.
Guess what they say about being the last one out is true!
Volcanic eruptions are an awe inducing sight and if you have ever witnessed one, do let
us know in the comments section.
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