Krakatau, Indonesia
Left: Photo copyrighted by Robert Decker.
Krakatau volcano lies in the Sunda strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra. In about 416 A.D., the caldera collapse destroyed the volcano and formed a 4-mile (7-km) wide caldera. The islands of Krakatau, Verlaten, and Lang are remnants of this volcano. The eruption and collapse of the caldera in 1883 produced one of the largest explosions recorded on Earth and destroyed much of Krakatau island. More than 36,000 people were killed from the resultant tsunamis. Since 1927, small eruptions have been frequent and have constructed a new island, Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau).
In January of 1960 a group of scientists visited Anak Krakatau to record its renewed activity and to measure changes in the size and shape of the island. They observed explosive eruptions of pyroclasts from ash to boulders in size. In 1960, Anak Krakatau had a minimum diameter of about one mile (1.5 km) and was 545 feet (166 m) tall. A crater on the south side of the island was 2,000 feet (600 m) in diameter and contained a growing cinder cone 300 feet (100 m) in diameter and 150 feet (50 m) high.
Explosive, Vulcanian-type eruptions occurred at 1/2- to 10-minute intervals. The largest explosions produced turbulent clouds of ash and lapilli that rose 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above the vent. In this photo a column of ash is rising about 1,500 feet (450 m) above the crater. This episode of activity, which began in December of 1959, ended in 1963. Anak Krakatau has had at least nine episodes of activity since 1963, most lasting less than one year. The most recent episode began in March of 1994 and has continued to at least March of 1995 (last reported observation). Activity is similar to the 1959-1963 eruption.
Mt Pelee, Martinique
Elevation: 4,583 feet (1,397 m)
Left: Space Shuttle photo of Martinique with Mt Pelee on the north
(left) end of the island.
Mt Pelee, a stratovolcano made mostly of pyroclastic rocks, is on the north end of the island of Martinique. Martinique is part of the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc. The arc is formed by the subduction of the North American Plate under the Caribbean Plate. This notorious volcano looms above the town of St Pierre (middle distance) exactly as it did prior to its catastrophic eruption of May 8, 1902, when the town was destroyed and more than 29,000 inhabitants were killed. In French, the word pelé means bald. This implies that when Mt Pelée acquired its name, its summit was an unvegetated dacitic lava dome, just as it is today. The visible lava dome was constructed during the volcano's most recent eruptive episode (1929-1930) but a closely similar edifice was built during the 1902 eruption, to be later destroyed. St Pierre was destroyed by nuées ardentes (glowing avalanches) which detached from the growing lava dome and crashed under gravity down the flanks of the volcano. For the most part, these avalanches were topographically controlled by preexisting valleys, such as that of the Rivière Blanche (extreme left) but some were big enough to engulf St Pierre on their margins.
TopSoufriere, St Vincent
Elevation: 4,000 feet (1,220 m)
Soufriere of the island of St Vincent is about 180 miles (300 km) south of the volcano with the same name on Guadeloupe. Soufriere on St Vincent is a far more dangerous volcano. It is a stratovolcano with a crater lake. Violent eruption occurred in 1718, 1812, and 1902. The 1902 eruption killed 1,600 people. There were also eruptions in 1971-1972 and 1979. The 1979 eruption started with less than 24 hours of precursor activity. The first episode lasted less than two weeks. It was vulcanian in character and sent steam and tephra as high as 12 miles (20 km). The second episode consisted of the quiet extrusion of a basaltic andesite lava dome. People were successfully evacuated and there were no fatalities. Fiske (1984) described the scientific response to this crisis. Photograph by Richard Fiske, April 22, 1979. The column is about 4 miles (6 km) tall. Photo courtesy of the US Geological Survey.
Taal, Philippines
Elevation: 1,310 feet (400 m)
Taal Volcano is an island located near the center of Taal Lake in Batangas Province. Its highest point is 311 m. Above sea level, it's on the eastern rim of the main crater. Covering an area of 23 square km. the Volcano Island is surrounded by a fresh body of water, about two meters above sea level and 127 square kilometer in area. Taal Lake is known to have originated from the collapse of pre-historic volcanic centers. The underwater topography suggests the presence of about 35 different submerged volcanic landforms.
The Main Crater occupies the central portion of the Volcano Island. Twelve of Taal Volcano's eruptions occurred at this crater from 1749 to 1911. There are five other major eruption centers, namely: Binintiang Malaki, Binintiang Munti, Pira-Opiraso, Calauit and Mt Tabaro Eruption site.
Taal Volcano has had 33 recorded eruptions since its first known outburst in 1572. Its most catastrophic eruptions occurred in 1754 and 1911. In 1754 the towns of Sala, Lipa, Tanauan, and Taal, then on the borders of Lake Taal, were destroyed and were subsequently relocated to their present sites. The 1911 eruption completely devastated the whole Volcano Island and claimed a toll of 1,335 lives. Ashes spewed out by the volcano reached as far as Manila.
Kelut, Indonesia
Elevation: 9,348 feet (2,850 m)
Left: Crater lake of Kelut volcano. (Image: John Dvorak, US Geological
Survey, March 11, 1982).
Kelut is an active stratovolcano on the east side of the island of Java. The Chinese recorded five eruptions of Kelut in the 14th century. Kelut has erupted 15 times in the last 200 years. The deadliest eruption of Kelut occurred in 1919 killing more than 5000 people from mudflows. The most recent eruption, in 1990, was explosive and produced a large cloud and heavy tephra fall. Tens of thousands of residents were evacuated before the eruption started. At least 32 people were killed, most by the collapse of their homes under the weight of tephra. More than 500 homes and 50 schools were destroyed. Pyroclastic flows reached 4-5 miles (7-8 km) away from the volcano. Fist-sized tephra fell 35 miles (55 km) southwest of the volcano. Dense tephra reached at least 7 miles (12 km) above the volcano. Subsequent lahars buried land used for agriculture.
Lamington, Papua New Guinea
Elevation: 5,510 feet (1,680 m)
Left: Lamington, Papua New Guinea
The large explosive eruption at Lamington in 1951 was the first and only activity at this stratovolcano. Six days of precursor activity culminated in the catastrophic eruption. Nearly 3,000 people were killed by pyroclastic flows. An area of 68 square miles was destroyed. The eruption also produced mudflows and continued to 1956. The form of the cone and style of activity was very similar to Mt Pelee.
Repeatedly, domes were slowly extruded from the vent only to collapse and form pyroclastic flows. One dome grew 1,900 feet (580 m) above the floor of the crater prior to its collapse. Taylor's description of the 1951 Lamington eruption is probably the most detailed report on a Pelean eruption this century.
Volcano: Deadliest Eruptions