Volcanic eruptions are dangerous natural disasters for humans. The largest volcanic eruptions

In fact, volcanoes have shaped the face of the Earth for millions of years. Here are the most serious volcano-related disasters in human history.

№8 . Experts believe that the largest volcanic eruption that occurred at the dawn of mankind happened in Sumatra: a volcano Toba erupted 71,000 years ago. Then about 2800 cubic meters were thrown into the atmosphere. km of ash, which could reduce the human population worldwide to just 10,000 people.

№7. erupting volcano El Chichon It 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 circled the globe, but half a year passed before it spread to 30°N. ts, practically not spreading to the Southern Hemisphere. Samples collected from airplanes and balloons showed that the cloud particles were mostly tiny glass beads coated with sulfuric acid. Gradually sticking together, they quickly settled on the ground, and after a year the mass of the remaining cloud was reduced to about Oz from the original. The absorption of sunlight by cloud particles warmed the equatorial stratosphere by 4° in June 1982, but at ground level in the Northern Hemisphere the temperature dropped by 0.4°.

№6. Lucky , 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 Grímsvotn volcano and including the Eldgja canyon and the Katla volcano. In 1783-1784, a powerful (6 points on the eruption scale) fissure eruption occurred on Laki and the neighboring Grimsvotn volcano, with the release of about 15 km³ of basaltic lava within 8 months. The length of the lava flow that poured out of the 25-kilometer crack exceeded 130 km, and the area filled by it was 565 km². Clouds of poisonous fluorine and sulfur dioxide compounds rose into the air, killing more than 50% of Iceland's livestock; volcanic ash partially or completely covered pastures in most of the island. Huge masses of ice, melted by lava, led to large-scale floods. Famine began, resulting in the death of approximately 10 thousand people, or 20% of the country's population. This eruption is considered one of the most destructive in the last millennium and the largest lava eruption in history. Fine ash erupted by the volcano was present in the second half of 1783 over most of the territory of Eurasia. The decrease in temperature in the northern hemisphere caused by the eruption led in 1784 to crop failure and famine in Europe.

№5. atrocities 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 coast of the Gulf of Naples in the province of Naples, Campania region. Included in the Apennine mountain system, has a height of 1281 m.

The disaster claimed the lives of 10,000 people and destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

№4 . 1883 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 carried out by explosions, which led to the devastation of the "underground chamber" under Krakatoa. The last powerful explosion of the pre-climax 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 voids below sea level, dragging along a huge mass of ocean water, the contact of which with magma caused a strong hydromagmatic explosion.

A significant part of the volcanic structure scattered within a radius of up to 500 km. Such a range of expansion was ensured by the rise of magma and rocks into the 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 at least 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 4,000 km. On the coast 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 up to 80 km for several years and caused intense coloration of dawns.
Tsunamis up to 30 meters high caused the death of about 36 thousand people on neighboring islands, 295 cities and villages were washed into the sea. Many of them, before the tsunami approach, were probably destroyed by an air wave that toppled the equatorial forests on the coast of the Sunda Strait and tore roofs off houses and doors from their hinges in Jakarta at a distance of 150 km from the crash site. The atmosphere of the entire Earth was perturbed by the explosion for several days. The air wave went around the Earth according to various sources from 7 to 11 times.

№3 . For a long time people considered the Colombian volca Ruiz If not extinct, then at least dormant. They had good reason: the last time this volcano erupted in 1595, and then for almost five centuries did not show signs of activity.

The first signs of the awakening of Ruiz became noticeable on November 12, 1985, when ash began to erupt from the crater. At 9 pm on November 13, several explosions thundered, 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, the mudflow reached the city of Armero located 40 kilometers from the volcano and actually wiped it off the face of the earth. Several surrounding villages were also destroyed. Oil pipelines and power lines were damaged, bridges were destroyed. Communication with the affected area was interrupted due to broken telephone lines and erosion of roads.

According to official figures from the Colombian government, about 23,000 people died or went missing as a result of the eruption, and another 5,000 were seriously injured and 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. The Colombian economy has suffered significant damage.

№2. Mont Pelee . 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 just 8 kilometers from the Mont Pele volcano, are accustomed to considering this mountain a peaceful neighbor. And, since the last eruption of 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 activity of the volcano intensified, and on May 8, one of the worst natural disasters of the 20th century broke out.

Around 8 o'clock in the morning began the eruption of Mont Pele. A cloud of ash and stones was thrown into the air, and a stream of lava rushed towards the city. However, it was not the ash and lava that turned out to be the most terrible, but the hot volcanic gases that swept through Saint-Pierre at great speed, causing fires. Desperate people tried to escape on 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, only the captain and engineer survived.

As a result of the volcanic eruption, the city of Saint-Pierre was almost completely destroyed, and all the people and animals that were in it died. The eruption of Mont Pele claimed the lives of more than 30 thousand people; of the inhabitants of the city, only the criminal who was in the underground prison could remain alive.

Currently, Saint-Pierre has been partially restored, and a museum of volcanology has been built at the foot of Mont Pele.

№1 Tambora

The first signs of the awakening of the volcano became noticeable as early as 1812, when the first jets of smoke appeared above the top of Tambora. Gradually, the amount of smoke increased, it became denser and darker. April 5, 1815 there was a strong explosion, 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 with a thick layer within a radius of one hundred kilometers. Under the weight of ash, residential buildings collapsed not only on the island of Sumbawa, but also on neighboring islands. 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 within a radius of 500 kilometers from the volcano it was night for three days. According to eyewitnesses, they saw nothing further than their own hand.

This terrible eruption, which lasted about 10 days, according to the most 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 neighboring islands suffered severely both from the ejection of ash and huge stones, and from the famine that resulted from the destruction of fields and livestock.

Due to the eruption of Tambora, a huge amount of ash and dust accumulated in the Earth's atmosphere, and this had a significant impact on the climate of the entire planet. The year 1816 went down in history as "the year without a summer". Due to unusually low temperatures on the east coast of North America and in Europe this year there were crop failures and famine. In some countries, the snow stayed for most of the summer, and in New York and the northeastern 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.

Volcanoes have always been dangerous. Some of them are located on the seabed and when lava erupts, they do not cause much damage to the surrounding world. Much more dangerous are such geological formations on land, near which large settlements and cities are located. We offer for review a list of the deadliest volcanic eruptions.

79 AD. Volcano Vesuvius. 16,000 dead.

During the eruption, a deadly column of ash, dirt and smoke rose from the volcano to a height of 20 kilometers. Erupted ashes flew even to Egypt and Syria. Every second, millions of tons of molten rock and pumice came out of the vent of Vesuvius. A day after the start of the eruption, streams of hot mud mixed with stones and ash began to descend. Pyroclastic flows completely buried the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis and Stabiae. In places, the thickness of the avalanche exceeded 8 meters. The death toll is estimated at at least 16,000.

Painting "The Last Day of Pompeii". Karl Bryulov

The eruption was preceded by a series of tremors of magnitude 5, but no one responded to natural warnings, since earthquakes are a frequent occurrence in this place.

Last eruption Vesuvius It was recorded in 1944, after which it calmed down. Scientists suggest that the longer the "hibernation" of the volcano lasts, the stronger its next eruption will be.

1792. Volcano Unzen. About 15,000 dead.

The volcano is located on the Japanese peninsula Shimabara. Activity Unzen recorded since 1663, but the strongest eruption was in 1792. After the volcanic eruption, a series of tremors followed, which caused a powerful tsunami. A deadly 23-meter wave hit the coastal zone of the Japanese Islands. The number of victims exceeded 15,000 people.

In 1991, at the foot of Unzen, 43 journalists and scientists died under the lava when it rolled down the slope.

1815. Volcano Tambora. 71,000 casualties.

This eruption is considered the most powerful in the history of mankind. April 5, 1815 began the geological activity of the volcano, located on the Indonesian island Sumbawa. The total volume of erupted material is estimated at 160-180 cubic kilometers. A powerful avalanche of hot rocks, mud and ash rushed to the sea, covering the island and sweeping away everything in its path - trees, houses, people and animals.

All that remains of the Tambora volcano is a huge caledera.

The roar of the explosion was so strong that it was heard on the island of Sumatra, which was located 2000 kilometers from the epicenter, the ash flew to the islands of Java, Kilimantan, Molucca.

The eruption of the Tambora volcano in the representation of the artist. Unfortunately the author could not be found.

The release of huge amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere has caused global climate change, including such a phenomenon as "volcanic winter". The next year, 1816, also known as the "year without summer", turned out to be abnormally cold, unusually low temperatures were established in North America and Europe, a catastrophic crop failure led to great famine and epidemics.

1883 Krakatoa volcano. 36,000 deaths.

The volcano woke up on May 20, 1883, it began to release huge clouds of steam, ash and smoke. This continued almost until the end of the eruption, on August 27, 4 powerful explosions thundered, which completely destroyed the island where the volcano was located. Fragments of the volcano scattered over a distance of 500 km, the gas-ash column rose to a height of more than 70 km. The explosions were so powerful that they could be heard at a distance of 4800 kilometers on the island of Rodrigues. The blast wave was so powerful that it went around the Earth 7 times, they were felt after five days. In addition, she raised a tsunami 30 meters high, which led to the death of about 36,000 people on nearby islands (some sources indicate 120,000 victims), 295 cities and villages were washed into the sea by a powerful wave. The air wave tore off the roofs and walls of houses, uprooted trees within a radius of 150 kilometers.

Lithograph of Krakatau volcano eruption, 1888

The eruption of Krakatoa, like Tambor, affected the climate of the planet. The global temperature during the year fell by 1.2 degrees Celsius and recovered only by 1888.

The force of the blast wave was enough to lift such a large piece of coral reef from the bottom of the sea and throw it several kilometers away.

1902 Mont Pele volcano. 30,000 people died.

The volcano is located in the north of the island of Martinique (Lesser Antilles). He woke up in April 1902. A month later, the eruption itself began, suddenly a mixture of smoke and ash began to escape from the crevices at the foot of the mountain, lava went in a red-hot wave. The city was destroyed by an avalanche Saint Pierre, which was located 8 kilometers from the volcano. Of the entire city, only two people survived - a prisoner who was sitting in an underground solitary cell, and a shoemaker who lived on the outskirts of the city, the rest of the city's population, more than 30,000 people, died.

Left: Photograph of ash plumes erupting from the Mont Pele volcano. Right: a surviving prisoner, and the completely destroyed city of Saint-Pierre.

1985, Nevado del Ruiz volcano. More than 23,000 victims.

Located Nevado del Ruiz in the Andes, Colombia. In 1984, seismic activity was recorded in these places, clubs of sulfur gases were emitted from the top and there were several minor ash emissions. On November 13, 1985, the volcano exploded, releasing a column of ash and smoke over 30 kilometers high. Erupted hot streams melted the glaciers at the top of the mountain, thus forming four lahars. Lahars, consisting of water, pieces of pumice, fragments of rocks, ash and dirt, swept away everything in their path at a speed of 60 km / h. City Armero was completely washed away by the stream, out of 29,000 residents of the city, only 5,000 survived. The second lahar hit the city of Chinchina, killing 1,800 people.

The descent of the lahar from the summit of Nevado del Ruiz

The consequences of the lahara - the city of Armero, demolished to the ground.

On June 6-8, 1912, the Novarupta volcano, USA, erupted - one of the largest eruptions of the 20th century. Kodiak Island, located nearby, was covered with a 30-centimeter layer of ash, and due to acid rain caused by emissions of volcanic rocks into the atmosphere, people's clothes fell apart into threads.

On this day, we decided to remember 5 more of the most destructive volcanic eruptions in history.

1. The largest eruption in the last 4000 years is the eruption of the Tambora volcano, which is located in Indonesia on the island of Sumbawa. The explosion of this volcano occurred on April 5, 1815, although it began to show its first signs as early as 1812, when the first jets of smoke appeared above it. The eruption continued for 10 days. 180 cubic meters were released into the atmosphere. km. pyroclastics and gases, tons of sand and volcanic dust covered the area within a radius of one hundred kilometers. After the volcanic eruption, due to the huge amount of pollution, it was night for three days within a radius of 500 km. From him. According to eyewitnesses, nothing could be seen further than one's own hand. The death toll was over 70,000. The entire population of the island of Sumbawa was destroyed, and the inhabitants of nearby islands also suffered. The next year after the eruption was very difficult for the inhabitants of this area, it was nicknamed "the year without summer." Unusually low temperatures caused crop failure and famine. Due to such a large eruption, the climate of the entire planet was changed; in many countries, snow this year lasted most of the summer.

2. The most powerful volcanic eruption occurred in 1883 on the island of Krakatau, between Java and Sumatra, on which the volcano of the same name is located. The height of the smoke column during the eruption was 11 kilometers. After that, the volcano calmed down, but not for long. In August, the culminating phase of the eruption began. Dust, gas, debris rose to a height of 70 km, and fell on an area of ​​more than 1 million square meters. km. The peals of the explosion exceeded 180 decibels, and this is much more than the pain threshold of a person. An air wave rose, which circled the planet several times, tearing roofs off houses. But this is not all the consequences of the Krakatoa eruption. The tsunami caused by the eruption destroyed 300 cities and towns, killed more than 30,000 people, and many more people were left homeless. Six months later, the volcano finally calmed down.

3. In May 1902, one of the worst catastrophes of the twentieth century broke out. Residents of the city of Saint-Pierre, located on Martinique, considered the Mont Pele volcano to be weak. No one paid attention to the tremors and rumble, despite the fact that they lived only 8 kilometers from the mountain. Around 8 am on May 8, its eruption began. Volcanic gases and lava flows rushed towards the city, causing fires. The city of Saint-Pierre was destroyed, killing more than 30,000 people. Of all the inhabitants, only the criminal who was in the underground prison remained alive.
Now this city has been restored, and at the foot of the volcano, in memory of the terrible event, a museum of volcanology has been built.

4. For five centuries, the Ruiz volcano, which is located in Colombia, did not give life, and people considered it dormant. But, unexpectedly, on November 13, 1985, a major eruption began. Due to the outgoing lava flows, the temperature increased, and the ice that covered the volcano melted. The currents reached the city of Armero and practically destroyed it. According to official figures, about 23 thousand people died or went missing, tens of thousands of people lost their homes. Coffee plantations have been hit hard, and the Colombian economy has suffered massive damage this year.

5. The Japanese volcano Unzen, located in the southwest of Kyushu, closes the top five most destructive eruptions. The activity of this volcano manifested itself in 1791, and on February 10, 1792, the first eruption occurred. This was followed by a series of earthquakes that brought significant destruction to the city of Shimabara, which is nearby. A kind of dome of solidified lava formed over the city, and on May 21 it split due to another earthquake. A stone avalanche hit the city and into the sea, which caused a tsunami, the waves of which reached 23 meters. More than 5,000 people died when pieces of rocks fell, and more than 10 thousand lives were claimed by the elements.

Today we will talk about the most destructive volcanoes in the history of mankind.

The eruption attracts us, frightens and fascinates at the same time. Beauty, entertainment, spontaneity, a huge danger to 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 coast 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 quiet giant. A huge number of people are daily at risk of being buried under a thick layer of lava.

The last eruption that managed to wipe out two Italian cities from the face of the Earth happened quite recently, in the midst of World War II. However, the eruption of 1944 cannot be compared with the events of August 24, 79 AD in terms of the scale of the catastrophe. The devastating consequences of that day stagger our imagination to this day. The eruption lasted more than a day, during which the ash and mud mercilessly destroyed the glorious city of Pompeii.

Until that moment, the locals were unaware of the impending danger, they were let down by a very familiar attitude to the formidable Vesuvius, as to an ordinary mountain. The volcano gave them fertile soil rich in minerals. Abundant harvests caused the city to quickly populate, develop, gain some prestige and even become a resting place for the then aristocracy. Soon a drama theater and one of the largest amphitheaters in Italy were built. Time later, the region gained fame as the most calm and prosperous place on the whole Earth. Could people have guessed that ruthless lava would cover this flowering area? That the rich potential of this region will never be realized? What will wipe off the face of the Earth all its beauty, accomplishment, cultural development?

The first push that should have alerted the inhabitants was a strong earthquake, as a result of which many buildings in Herculaneum and Pompeii were destroyed. However, people who arranged their life so well were in no hurry to leave their settled place. Instead, they restored buildings in an even more luxurious, new style. From time to time there were minor earthquakes, to which no one paid much attention. This then became their fatal mistake. Nature itself gave signs of the 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 escape within the walls of their homes. At night, the volcano finally woke up. People fled to the sea, but the lava caught up with them near the shore. Soon their fate was decided - almost everyone ended his life under a thick layer of lava, mud and ash.

The next day, the elements ruthlessly attacked Pompeii. Most of the townspeople, whose number reached 20 thousand, managed to leave the city even before the start of the disaster, 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 magnitude of the catastrophe by referring 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 was not due to a powerful ejection of lava and ash, but because of the high population density. Just imagine, the sad historical experience did not impress people enough - they still densely settled and settled near Vesuvius!

Volcano Santorini

Today, the Greek island of Santorini is a tasty morsel for tourists: white-stone houses, cozy atmospheric streets, picturesque views. Only one thing 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 of 1645-1600 BC. e. caused the death of the Aegean cities and settlements on the islands of Crete, Thira and the Mediterranean coast. The power of the eruption is impressive: it is three times stronger than the eruptions of Krakatoa, and is equal to seven points!

Of course, such a strong explosion managed not only to reshape the landscape, but also to 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, whose center of culture was the island of Thira, is shrouded in mystery. The earthquake warned local residents about the impending disaster, they left their native land in time. When a huge amount of ash and pumice came out of the interior of the volcano, the volcanic cone collapsed under its own gravity. Sea water rushed into the abyss, which formed a huge tsunami that washed away nearby settlements. There was no more Mount Santorini. A huge oval abyss, the caldera of the volcano, was forever filled with the waters of the Aegean Sea.

Recently, researchers have found that the volcano has become more active. Almost 14 million cubic meters of magma has accumulated in it - it seems that Sentorin can reassert itself!

Volcano Unzen

For the Japanese, the Unzen volcanic complex, which consists of four domes, has become a real synonym for disaster. 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 that returned to Shimabara. The tragedy is forever imprinted in the hearts of the Japanese people. Helplessness before the raging elements, the pain from the loss of a huge number of people was immortalized in numerous monuments that we can observe on the territory of Japan.

After this terrible event, Unzen calmed down for almost two centuries. But in 1991 there was another eruption. 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 the close supervision of scientists.

Volcae Tambora

The Tambora Volcano is located on the island of Sumbawa. Its 1815 eruption is considered to be the most powerful eruption in human history. Perhaps, during the existence of the Earth, stronger eruptions occurred, but we have no information about this.

So, in 1815, nature raged in earnest: an eruption occurred with a magnitude of 7 on the intensity scale of the eruption (explosive force) of the volcano, the maximum value is 8. The disaster shook 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 destroyed! Places with once fertile soil turned into a lifeless space, resulting in a terrible famine. Thus, 48 ​​thousand people died of starvation 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 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.

Volcano Krakatoa

Krakatay 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.

The volcano before the eruption of 1883 was much higher and was one large island. However, the 1883 eruption destroyed the island and the volcano. On the morning of August 27, Krakatau fired four powerful shots, each of which caused a powerful tsunami. Huge masses of water poured into the settlements at such a speed that the inhabitants did not have time to climb the 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 the dead! The rest fell under volcanic debris, ash and gas. The total number of victims was 36.5 thousand people.

Most of the island was submerged. The 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 turned blue due to the huge amount of ash released during the eruption. Ejected into the atmosphere, volcanic debris 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 Pele volcano, which is located in Martinique, the most beautiful island in the Caribbean. The fire-breathing mountain spared nothing, everything was destroyed, including the nearby elegant, cozy city of Saint-Pierre - the West Indian Paris, in the construction of which the French invested all their knowledge and strength.

The volcano began its inactive activity 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 a beautiful natural landscape and served for the inhabitants rather as an ornament to their area. Despite this, when in the spring of 1902 Mont-Peleis began to broadcast danger with shocks and a column of smoke, the townspeople did not hesitate. Sensing trouble, they decided to flee in time: some sought refuge in the mountains, some in the water.

Their determination was seriously affected by the huge number of snakes that crawled down the slopes of Mont Pele and filled the entire city. Victims from bites, then from a boiled lake, which was not far from the crater, overflowed its banks and poured into the northern part of the city in a huge stream - all this confirmed the inhabitants in 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 the townspeople at such an important political event. He took the necessary measures to ensure that the population did not leave the territory of the city, he personally persuaded the residents to stay. As a result, most of them did not attempt to escape, the fugitives 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 the slopes of Mont Pele and ... swept away everything in its path. In one minute, this amazing, flourishing town was completely destroyed. Factories, houses, trees, people - everything was melted, torn out, poisoned, burned, torn to pieces. It is believed that the death of the unfortunate came in the first three minutes. Of the 30 thousand inhabitants, only two were lucky enough to stay alive.

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 was heard, which led to the death of thousands of residents of nearby villages. Mont Pele erupted several more times until 1905, after which it fell into hibernation until 1929, when a rather powerful eruption occurred, however, without any victims.

Today, the volcano is considered inactive, Saint-Pierre is recovering, but after these terrible events, he has little chance of regaining the status of the most beautiful city of Martinique.

Volcano Nevado del Ruiz

Due to its impressive height (5400m.), Nevado del Ruiz is considered to be 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 areas of Caldas and Tolima.

Nevado del Ruiz ranks among the deadliest volcanoes in the world for a reason. The eruptions that led to mass death have already occurred three times. In 1595, over 600 people were buried under the ashes. In 1845, as a result of a strong earthquake, 1 thousand inhabitants died.

And, finally, in 1985, when the volcano was already considered dormant, 23 thousand people fell victims. 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. At the moment, 500 thousand inhabitants of nearby territories are daily at risk of becoming a victim of a new eruption.

So, in 1985, the crater of the volcano threw out powerful gas-pyroclastic flows. Because of them, the ice on the summit melted, which led to the formation of lahars - volcanic flows that instantly moved down the slopes. This avalanche of water, clay, pumice crushed everything in its path. Destroying rocks, soil, plants and absorbing all this into themselves, 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, epidemics of 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 groans - that's what appeared before the eyes of the rescuers who arrived the next day.

To understand the full horror of the tragedy, let's take a look at the famous photograph of the journalist Frank Fournier. On it, 13-year-old Omaira Sanchez, who, being among the rubble of buildings and unable to get out, bravely fought for her life for three days, but could not win this unequal battle. You can imagine how many lives of such children, teenagers, women, 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 the largest lake of volcanic origin was formed.

Toba is interesting because it is a supervolcano, i.e. From the outside, it is almost imperceptible, you can see it only from space. We can be on the surface of this kind of volcano for thousands of years, and learn about its existence only at the time of the catastrophe. It is worth noting that if an ordinary fire-breathing mountain erupts, then a similar supervolcano has an explosion.

The eruption of Toba, which occurred during the last ice age, 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 ash deposits that covered South Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian and South China Seas reached 800 km³. Thousands of years later, scientists discovered the smallest ash particles in 7 thousand km. from a volcano on the territory of the African lake Nyasa.

As a result of the fact that the volcano threw out a huge amount of ash, the sun was closed. It was a real volcanic winter that lasted for several years.

The number of people has sharply decreased - 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 genetically diverse, but most of the people died out sharply 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 worried about the proximity to the volcano. The issue of security was also not relevant because the territories adjacent to the volcano were rich in dense forests, which indicated that El Chichon had long hibernated. However, on March 28, 1982, after 12 hundred years of peaceful sleep, the fire-breathing mountain showed all its 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 above the crater, which covered an area within a radius of 100 km in less than an hour.

A huge amount of tephra was thrown into the atmosphere, strong ashfalls took place around the volcano. About 2 thousand people died. It should be noted that the evacuation of the population was poorly organized, the process was slow. Many residents left the territory, but after a while they returned, which, of course, had terrible consequences for them.

In May of the same year, the next eruption occurred, which turned out to be 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.

On this element was not going to stop. Two more Plinian eruptions fell to the lot of local residents, giving rise to a 29-kilometer column of ash. The number of victims again reached a thousand people.

The consequences of the eruption affected the climate of the country. A huge cloud of ash covered 240 square kilometers, in the capital, visibility was only a few meters. Due to the ash particles hanging in the layers of the stratosphere, a noticeable cooling set in.

In addition, the natural balance was disturbed. Many birds and animals were destroyed. Some species of insects began to grow rapidly, which led to 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 occurred, which set a world record in terms of the number of human casualties! In Iceland alone, almost 20,000 lives were cut short - 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 the inhabitants of the impending danger as best he could. Seismic shifts, uplifting of the land, raging geysers, explosions of pillars up, 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, frightened them, but no one attempted to escape. People were sure that their dwellings were strong enough to protect them from the eruption. They sat at home, tightly locking the windows and doors.

In January, the formidable neighbor made itself felt. He raged flesh until June. During these six months of eruptions, Mount Skaptar-Yekul split and a huge 24-meter crevice formed. Harmful gases came out and formed a powerful lava flow. Imagine how many such streams there were - hundreds of craters erupted! When the streams reached the sea, the lava solidified, but the water boiled, all the fish within a radius of several kilometers from the coast died.

Sulfur dioxide covered the entire territory of Iceland, which led to acid rain, the destruction of vegetation. As a result, agriculture suffered greatly, hunger and disease fell upon the surviving inhabitants.

Soon the "Hungry Haze" reached all of Europe, and a few years later to China. The climate has changed, the dust particles do not let the rays of the sun through, the summer has not come. Temperatures dropped by 1.3 ºC, leading to cold-related deaths, crop failures and famine in many European countries. The eruption left its mark even on Africa. Due to abnormal cold weather, the temperature contrast was minimal, which led to a decrease in monsoon activity, drought, shallowing of the Nile, and crop failure. Africans were starving en masse.

Mount Etna

Mount Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and one of the largest volcanoes in the world. It is located on the east coast of Sicily, not far from the cities of Messina and Catania. Its circumference is 140 km and covers an area of ​​approximately 1.4 thousand square meters. km.

Approximately 140 powerful eruptions of this volcano have been counted in modern times. In 1669 Catania was destroyed. In 1893, the Silvestri crater arose. In 1911 the northeast crater formed. In 1992 a huge lava flow stopped near Zafferana Etnea. The last time the volcano splashed out 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 bowels 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 rather restless volcano: it has erupted 68 times since 1548!

Close proximity to such an active fire-breathing mountain is very dangerous. But, as is usually the case in economically underdeveloped countries, the locals, without thinking about the risk, appreciate the benefit that mineral-rich soil gives them - abundant harvests. So, about 1.5 million people currently live near Marapi.

Strong eruptions occur every 7 years, smaller ones every couple of years, the volcano smokes almost daily. Catastrophe 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.

Do you know how many active volcanoes there are on our planet? About six hundred. This is relatively little, considering that more than a thousand no longer threaten humanity, since they have cooled down. More than ten thousand volcanoes hid under the surface of sea and ocean waters. Yet the danger of a volcanic eruption exists in many countries. Near Indonesia there are more than a hundred of them, in the west of America there are about ten, there are "rumbling mountains" in Japan, in Kamchatka and the Kuriles. Today we will talk about the strongest volcanic eruptions that claimed many lives and left a noticeable imprint in the history of civilization. Let's get acquainted with the most dangerous representatives of these formidable mountains. We will find out whether it is worth being afraid of the Yellowstone volcano today, which worries scientists around the world. Perhaps we'll start with him.

Supervolcano Yellowstone

To date, volcanologists have twenty supervolcanoes, in comparison with which the remaining 580 are nothing. They are located in Japan, New Zealand, California, New Mexico and elsewhere. But the most dangerous of the entire group is the Yellowstone volcano. Today, this monster causes concern for all scientists, as it is already ready to spew tons of lava onto the surface of the earth.

Dimensions of Yellowstone, where is located

This giant is located in the west of America, more precisely, in the northwest, in the region of Wyoming. The dangerous mountain was first discovered in 1960, it was noticed by a satellite. The dimensions of the whopper are about 72 x 55 kilometers, which is almost a third of the 900,000 hectares of the entire Yellowstone National Park, more precisely, its park part.

Yellowstone Volcano today stores in its bowels a huge amount of red-hot magma, the temperature of which reaches 1000 degrees. It is to her that tourists owe many hot springs. The fire bubble is located at a depth of almost 8 kilometers.

Yellowstone eruptions

Many thousands of years ago, this giant already watered the earth with an abundant lava flow, and sprinkled tons of ash on top. The largest volcanic eruption, it was also the first, according to scientists, occurred about two million years ago. It is assumed that then Yellowstone threw out more than 2.5 thousand cubic kilometers of rock, which soared 50 kilometers up from the surface of the earth. Here is the power!

About 1.2 million years ago, a formidable volcano repeated the eruption. It was not as strong as the first one, and there were ten times fewer emissions.

The last, third unrest occurred about 640 years ago. The largest volcanic eruption at that time cannot be called, but it was during it that the walls of the crater collapsed, and today we can observe the caldera that appeared during that period.

Should we be afraid of a Yellowstone eruption in the near future?

With the beginning of the second millennium, scientists began to notice ongoing changes in the behavior of the Yellowstone volcano. What alarmed them?

1. From 2007 to 2013, that is, in six years, the earth covering the caldera rose by two meters. Compared to the last twenty years before, the rise was only a few centimeters.
2. New hot geysers have appeared.
3. The magnitude and frequency of earthquakes in the caldera region has increased since 2000.
4. Underground gases began to find a way out directly from the ground.
5. The temperature of the water in nearby reservoirs increased by several degrees at once.

The inhabitants of the North American continent were alarmed by this news. Scientists around the world agreed: there will be an eruption. When? Most likely already in this century.

Why is an eruption dangerous?

The largest eruption of the Yellowstone volcano is expected in our time. Scientists suggest that its strength will be no less than during previous unrest. If we compare the power of the explosion, then it can be equated to dropping more than a thousand atomic bombs on the ground. Such an explosion is capable of destroying everything within a radius of 150-160 kilometers, and another 1600 kilometers around will fall into the "dead zone".

In addition, the eruption of Yellowstone can contribute to the start of eruptions of other volcanoes, and this will lead to the appearance of huge tsunamis. Rumor has it that the United States government is preparing with might and main for this event: strong shelters are being made, an evacuation plan is being created to other continents.

It is difficult to say whether this will be the largest volcanic eruption in history, and yet it is dangerous, and not only for the states, but for the whole world. If the height of the release is 50 kilometers, then in two days a dangerous cloud of smoke will begin to actively spread. Residents of Australia and India will be the first to fall into the disaster zone. For a period of more than two years, you will have to get used to the cold, since the sun's rays will not be able to break through the thickness of the ash, and winter will come off schedule. The temperature will drop to -25 degrees, and in some places to -50. In conditions of cold, lack of normal air, hunger, only the strongest will be able to survive.

Etna

This is an active stratovolcano, one of the most powerful in the world and the largest in Italy. Interested in the coordinates of Mount Etna? It is located in Sicily (right coast), not far from Catania and Messina. The geographical coordinates of Mount Etna are 37° 45' 18" north latitude, 14° 59' 43" east longitude.

Now the height of Etna is 3429 meters, but it varies from eruption to eruption. This volcano is the highest point in Europe, outside the Alps, the Caucasus Mountains and the Pyrenees. This giant has a rival - the well-known Vesuvius, who at one time destroyed an entire civilization. But Etna is more than 2 times larger.

Etna is a severe volcano. It has 200 to 400 craters located on its sides. Once every three months, hot lava flows from one of them, and about once every 150 years, really serious eruptions occur, which steadily destroy the villages. However, this fact does not upset or frighten local residents, they actively populate the slopes of a dangerous mountain.

List of eruptions: chronology of Etna's activity

Approximately six thousand years ago, Etna pretty fooled around. During the eruption, a huge piece of its eastern part was broken off and thrown into the sea. In 2006, volcanologists published the news that this fragment, having fallen into the water, created a huge tsunami.

The first eruption of this giant occurred, according to scientists, in 1226 BC.

In 44 BC there was a strong eruption. As far as Egypt, a cloud of ash extended, due to which there was no further harvest.

122 - A city called Catania is almost wiped off the face of the earth.

In 1669, the volcano eruption greatly altered the outlines of the coast. The castle of Ursino stood near the water, after the eruption it was 2.5 km from the coast. Lava penetrated the walls of Catania, swallowing the housing of 27 thousand people.

In 1928, the old city of Mascali was destroyed by an eruption. This event was remembered by believers, they believe that a real miracle happened. The fact is that before the religious procession, the flow of red-hot lava stopped. A chapel was later built next to it. Lava solidified near the construction in 1980.

Between 1991 and one of the most terrible eruptions occurred, which practically destroyed the city of Zafferana.

The last major eruptions of the volcano occurred in 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2015. But these were not the most serious cataclysms. The locals call the mountain kind, as the lava quietly flows down the sides, and does not splash up in terrible fountains.

Should I be afraid of Etna?

Due to the fact that the eastern part of the volcano broke off, Etna is now erupting effusively, that is, without an explosion, lava flows down its sides in slow streams.

Scientists today are concerned that the behavior of the hulk is changing, and soon it will erupt explosively, that is, with an explosion. Thousands of people could be affected by such an eruption.

Guarapuava-Tamarana-Sarusas

The name of this volcano is difficult to pronounce even for the most professional announcer! But its name is not as scary as the way it erupted about 132 million years ago.

The nature of its eruption is explosive, such specimens accumulate lava for long millennia, and then pour it onto the earth in incredible quantities. This happened with this giant, which splashed out more than 8 thousand cubic kilometers of hot slurry.

This monster is located in the Trapp province of Parana Etendeka.

We offer you to get acquainted with the largest volcanic eruptions in history.

Sakurajima

This volcano is located in Japan and is considered one of the most dangerous in the world. Since 1955, this giant has been in constant activity, which scares the locals, and not only them.

The last eruption was in 2009, but not very serious when compared with what happened in 1924.

The volcano began to signal its eruption with strong tremors. Most of the inhabitants of the city managed to leave the danger zone.

After this eruption, "Sakura Island" cannot be called an island. So much lava erupted from the mouth of this giant that an isthmus was formed that connected the island with another - Kyushu.

After this eruption, Sakurajima quietly poured out lava for about a year, which made the bottom of the bay much higher.

Vesuvius

It is located in Napoli and is the only "living" volcano on the territory of continental Europe.

Its strongest eruption falls on the year 79. On August 24, he woke up from hibernation and destroyed the cities of Ancient Rome: Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae.

The last major volcanic eruption occurred in 1944.

The height of this formidable giant is 1281 meters.

Colima

Located in Mexico. This is one of the most dangerous representatives of its kind. It has erupted over forty times since 1576.

The last strong eruption was noted in 2005, on June 8. The government urgently evacuated residents of nearby villages, as a huge cloud of ash rose over them - more than five kilometers in height. It threatened people's lives.

The highest point of this formidable monster is 4625 meters. Today, the volcano poses a danger not only to the inhabitants of Mexico.

Galeras

Located in Colombia. The height of this giant reaches 4276 meters. Over the past seven thousand years, there have been about six major eruptions.

In 1993, one of the eruptions began. Unfortunately, research work was carried out on the territory of the volcano, and six geologists never returned home.

In 2006, the volcano again threatened to flood the neighborhood with lava, so people were evacuated from local settlements.

mauna loa

This is a formidable guardian of the Hawaiian Islands. It is considered the largest volcano in the entire Earth. The volume of this giant, taking into account the underwater part, is about 80 thousand cubic kilometers.

The last time a strong eruption was noted in 1950. And the most recent, but not strong, happened in 1984.

Mauna Loa is on the list of the most powerful, dangerous and largest volcanoes in the world.

Teide

This is a dormant monster, the awakening of which is feared by all the inhabitants of Spain. The last time the eruption occurred in 1909, today the formidable mountain does not show activity.

If this volcano decides to wake up, and it has been resting for more than a hundred years, then this will not be the most pleasant time for the inhabitants of the island of Tenerife, as well as for the whole of Spain.

We have named far from all the latest major volcanic eruptions. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, there are about six hundred active. People living in areas of active volcanoes are in fear every day, because an eruption is a terrible natural disaster that claims thousands of lives.