Have you ever played the game “The Floor is Lava?” It has become so popular that it even spawned an
actual Netflix game show! But imagine getting too close to the actual
thing! Prepare to be blown away by these 7 Massive Volcano Eruptions Caught on Camera!
What’s up, fact-natics! This is Discovery Amuse,
serving up your daily dose of the most outrageous, outlandish, and out-of-this-world fun facts!
Stay on your toes because our number one entry ‘coz lava it or hate it,
it sure is one majestic spectacle. Are you ready to have a blast?
#7. Kilauea Say “aloha”
to the most active volcano on the planet! Standing at 4,190 feet above sea level and located
at the southeastern part of Hawaii, the Kilauea volcano has been erupting continuously from
1983 to 2018! Dude, that’s more than 30 years! One of its most devastating eruptions happened
on May 3, 2018, when it destroyed properties in places such as the Leilani Estates at Puna
district. SInce it was situated directly at the lower East rift zone of the volcano, residents
have been preparing for evacuation for weeks. However, when the actual eruption happened,
they were still caught off guard and were forced to leave A-S-A-P!
Because if there’s anything you need to know about volcanos is that no one can actually predict the
precise moment they will rear their ugly head! Videos of the catastrophe showed houses and cars
swept away and destroyed by lava that could fill approximately
320,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools! Good luck swimming on that sea of fire!
Keep watching because our number 1 pick will make you crack a toe! There’s your hint!
#6. Taal
Don’t be fooled by its calm and pristine waters because underneath this lake lies
a sinister force that is considered one of the Philippines’ most dangerous volcanoes!
Between 1572 and 1977, the Taal volcano has erupted 42 times until it finally took a break
from all the huffing and puffing. However, in January 2020, 42 years after its last eruption,
the Taal once again manifested its wrath when it underwent what is called a phreatomagmatic
eruption. This type of eruption happens as a result of magma mixing with water. The
Taal spewed a gigantic cloud of ash that caused severe ashfall in the nearby town,
including the country’s capital of Metro Manila. One family of tourists was even hiking at the
volcano at the exact moment it erupted! On the day of the explosion,
Denise Bernardo and her family were about to go to the crater when all of a sudden,
they saw smoke emanating from the crater, which alarmed their tour guide. The family immediately
headed back towards the mainland away from the volcano, just in time before Taal spewed its cloud
of ash! Thankfully, the whole family was safe. That sure must have been one memorable holiday!
#5. Sakurajima Ever since the 8th century, this volcano located
in Southern Kyushu in Japan has been flaunting its explosive force. Considered as one of the
most active volcanoes on earth, the Sakurajima Sakurajima volcano in Kyushu, Japan also
belongs to the list of the world’s most active volcanoes, with its earliest recorded eruption
in A.D. 708. It has always been in an uninterrupted eruption that is,
most of the time, harmless. Not until November 8, 2019,
when it spewed a huge plume of smoke and debris that was reportedly its biggest ejection since
2016. The ash plume reached more than 3 miles up in the air, which dimmed the skies of Kyushu
and caused numerous flights to be cancelled. In May 2020, the volcano once again became woke
up from its slumber to spew a cloud of ash that reached more than 4,000 meters
into the sky! No damage was reported but large rocks fell in nearby towns.
#4. Mt. Etna Fighting its way into
the top spot of the most active volcano in the world is one other than Europe’s
pride—and constant source of fear--Mt Etna. The volcano is located on the east coast
of Sicily, Italy, and is just above the Province of Catania,
where there are residents amounting to more than half a million.
You guys might be wondering why people are living near Mt. Etna? Although it’s been active for the
longest time, its last destructive eruption was in 1669. Nowadays, its vertical eruptions
cause little to no harm at all to the locals. Aside from that, the fertile volcanic soil has
been proven to support agriculture, vineyards and orchards across the lower slopes of the mountain.
Several photos and videos of Mt. Etna’s explosion has circulated the internet,
but perhaps one of the most remarkable was the time when environment filmmaker got up close and
personal with Mt. Etna’s eruption in June of 2000. Another fascinating clip taken in April 2013
captured a round circle coming from the mouth of the volcano!
#3. Mount St. Helens This volcano located in Skamania County
in Washington was named after a British diplomat named Lord St. Helens who surveyed the area in
the late 18th century. It’s the fifth highest peak in Washington state and is known for its
symmetrical cone shape. But although it’s lovely to look at, St. Helens is not one to mess with,
as shown in these footages of the devastating eruption that happened on May 18, 1980.
The eruption of St. Helens is considered the deadliest volcanic explosion in US history. During
that fateful day, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook the area, that caused a huge avalanche
of debris which led to the lateral eruption. A plume of ash shot up in the air for 9 whole
hours, and the ashfall reached as far as Alberta, Canada. The destructive event took the lives of
57 people, and wreaked havoc over 250 homes, 47 bridges and more than 180 miles of a nearby
highway. Almost 7,000 wild animals were also killed, which included elks, deer and bears.
After the cataclysmic force majeure, the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was founded to
preserve the volcano and allow researchers to study the aftermath of the eruption.
#2. Whakaari 48 kilometers
off the coast of North Island in New Zealand sits this curious looking volcano that seems
too small to cause any real trouble. But don’t be fooled because what you see is just the tip
of the much larger Whakaari or White Island volcano that’s mostly submerged in water.
Between 1975 and 2000, the volcano has been continually erupting, but it was generally deemed
harmless. However, on December 9, 2019, like a thief in the night, the Whakaari blew off some
major steam without warning, killing 21 people who were hiking near its crater at the time.
26 others suffered injuries and 2 people remain missing until now and are presumed
dead. The worst part of this ordeal was that some of the tourists were supposed to head back to the
mainland when the eruption occurred. Among the fatalities were 13 Australian tourists,
3 Americans and 2 New Zealand tour guides. Before we go to our number 1 pick,
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#1. Krakatoa This active
volcano situated between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia, was known for the world’s
deadliest eruption back in August 1883 –– killing almost 36,000 people in its wake. Aside from the
explosion, the aftermath caused a tsunami that wiped out the volcano’s fragments into the sea.
Centuries later, in December of 2018, the Krakatoa once again made its presence felt
in a fatal way, when the volcano erupted and caused a deadly tsunami! The waves
reached more than 5 meters in height before smashing into the coastline,
that took the lives of 437 locals, and injured more than 14,000 others.
40,000 residents were also displaced as the tsunami destroyed nearby towns. All of these
statistics combined make the volcanic event the deadliest eruption of the 21st century thus far.
And there you have it! Our countdown of the 7 Massive Volcano Eruptions Caught on Camera!
Have you ever witnessed one yourself? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!
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online doing what you do best! Awesome, right? If you want more breathtaking wonders of nature,
then make sure to check out our list of the 10 Most Incredible Underwater Discoveries, Ever!
‘Til then, keep the fire burning, fact-natics! And see you in the next video!