10 largest and most dangerous volcanoes on Earth.

A volcano is a geological formation that arose due to the movement of tectonic plates, their collision and the formation of faults. As a result of collisions of tectonic plates, faults are formed, and magma comes to the surface of the Earth. As a rule, volcanoes are a mountain, at the tip of which there is a crater, which is the place where the lava comes out.

Volcanoes are divided into:

- operating;
- sleeping;
- extinct;

Active volcanoes are those that have erupted in the short term (approximately 12,000 years)
Dormant volcanoes are called volcanoes that have not erupted in the near historical perspective, but their eruption is practically possible.
Extinct volcanoes include those that have not erupted in the near historical future, however, the top has the shape of a crater, but such volcanoes are unlikely to erupt.

List of the 10 most dangerous volcanoes in the world:

1. (Hawaii, USA)

2. Taal Volcano (Philippines)

3. Merapi Volcano (Java Island)

4. Santa Maria Volcano (Guatemala)

It is one of the most active volcanoes of the 20th century.
It is located at a distance of 130 kilometers from the city of Guatemala, and is located in the so-called Pacific. Ring of Fire. The Santa Maria crater was formed after it erupted in 1902. About 6,000 people died then. The last eruption occurred in March 2011.

5. Volcano Ulawun (Papua New Guinea)

Ulawun volcano, located in the region of New Guinea, began to erupt from the beginning of the 18th century. Since then, eruptions have been recorded 22 times.
In 1980, the largest volcanic eruption occurred. The ejected ash covered an area of ​​more than 20 square kilometers.
Now this volcano is the highest peak in the region.
The last volcanic eruption occurred in the year 2010.

6. Volcano Galeras (Colombia)

7. Volcano Sakurajima (Japan)

8. Nyiragongo (DR Congo)

August 24-25, 79 AD an eruption occurred that was considered extinct Mount Vesuvius, located on the shores of the Gulf of Naples, 16 kilometers east of Naples (Italy). The eruption led to the death of four Roman cities - Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontius, Stabia - and several small villages and villas. Pompeii, located 9.5 kilometers from the crater of Vesuvius and 4.5 kilometers from the base of the volcano, was covered with a layer of very small pieces of pumice about 5-7 meters thick and covered with a layer of volcanic ash. With the onset of night, lava flowed from the side of Vesuvius, everywhere fires started, the ashes made it hard to breathe. On August 25, along with the earthquake, a tsunami began, the sea receded from the coast, and a black thundercloud hung over Pompeii and the surrounding cities, hiding Cape Mizensky and the island of Capri. Most of the population of Pompeii was able to escape, but about two thousand people died from poisonous sulfurous gases on the streets and in the houses of the city. Among the victims was the Roman writer and scholar Pliny the Elder. Herculaneum, located seven kilometers from the crater of the volcano and about two kilometers from its sole, was covered with a layer of volcanic ash, the temperature of which was so high that all wooden objects were completely charred. The ruins of Pompeii were accidentally discovered at the end of the 16th century, but systematic excavations began only in 1748 and are still ongoing, along with reconstruction and restoration.

March 11, 1669 there was an eruption Mount Etna in Sicily, which lasted until July of that year (according to other sources, until November 1669). The eruption was accompanied by numerous earthquakes. Lava fountains along this crack gradually shifted downward, and the largest cone formed near the city of Nikolosi. This cone is known as Monti Rossi (Red Mountain) and is still clearly visible on the slope of the volcano. Nicolosi and two nearby villages were destroyed on the first day of the eruption. In another three days, the lava flowing down the slope to the south destroyed four more villages. At the end of March, two larger cities were destroyed, and in early April, lava flows reached the outskirts of Catania. Lava began to accumulate under the fortress walls. Part of it flowed into the harbor and filled it. On April 30, 1669, lava flowed over the upper part of the fortress walls. The townspeople built additional walls across the main roads. This made it possible to stop the progress of the lava, but the western part of the city was destroyed. The total volume of this eruption is estimated at 830 million cubic meters. Lava flows burned 15 villages and part of the city of Catania, completely changing the configuration of the coast. According to some sources, 20 thousand people, according to others - from 60 to 100 thousand.

October 23, 1766 on the island of Luzon (Philippines) began to erupt mayon volcano. Dozens of villages were swept away, incinerated by a huge lava flow (30 meters wide), which descended the eastern slopes for two days. Following the initial explosion and lava flow, Mayon volcano continued to erupt for another four days, spewing large amounts of steam and watery mud. Greyish-brown rivers, 25 to 60 meters wide, crashed down the slopes of the mountain in a radius of up to 30 kilometers. They completely swept away roads, animals, villages with people (Daraga, Kamalig, Tobako) on their way. More than 2,000 residents died during the eruption. Basically, they were swallowed up by the first lava flow or secondary mud avalanches. For two months, the mountain spewed ash, poured lava into the surrounding area.

April 5-7, 1815 there was an eruption Volcano Tambora on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa. Ashes, sand and volcanic dust were thrown into the air to a height of 43 kilometers. Stones up to five kilograms in weight scattered over a distance of up to 40 kilometers. The Tambora eruption affected the islands of Sumbawa, Lombok, Bali, Madura and Java. Subsequently, under a three-meter layer of ash, scientists found traces of the fallen kingdoms of Pekat, Sangar and Tambora. Simultaneously with the volcanic eruption, a huge tsunami 3.5-9 meters high was formed. Receding from the island, the water hit the neighboring islands and drowned hundreds of people. Directly during the eruption, about 10 thousand people died. At least 82 thousand more people died from the consequences of the catastrophe - hunger or disease. Ashes that covered Sumbawa with a shroud destroyed the entire crop and covered the irrigation system; acid rain poisoned the water. For three years after Tambora's eruption, a veil of dust and ash particles enveloped the entire globe, reflecting part of the sun's rays and cooling the planet. The following year, 1816, Europeans felt the effects of a volcanic eruption. He entered the annals of history as "a year without a summer". The average temperature in the Northern Hemisphere has fallen by about one degree, and in some areas even by 3-5 degrees. Large areas of crops suffered from spring and summer frosts on the soil, and famine began in many territories.

August 26-27, 1883 there was an eruption Krakatoa volcano located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. From the tremors on the nearby islands, houses collapsed. On August 27, at about 10 am, there was a giant explosion, an hour later - a second explosion of the same force. More than 18 cubic kilometers of rock fragments and ash shot up into the atmosphere. The tsunami waves caused by the explosions instantly swallowed up cities, villages, forests on the coast of Java and Sumatra. Many islands disappeared under water along with the population. The tsunami was so powerful that it bypassed almost the entire planet. In total, 295 cities and villages were swept off the face of the earth on the coasts of Java and Sumatra, more than 36 thousand people died, hundreds of thousands were left homeless. The shores of Sumatra and Java have changed beyond recognition. On the coast of the Sunda Strait, fertile soil was washed away down to the rocky base. Only a third of the island of Krakatoa survived. In terms of the amount of water and rock displaced, the energy of the Krakatoa eruption is equivalent to the explosion of several hydrogen bombs. The strange glow and optical phenomena persisted for several months after the eruption. In some places above the Earth, the sun seemed blue and the moon bright green. And the movement in the atmosphere of dust particles thrown out by the eruption allowed scientists to establish the presence of a "jet" flow.

May 8, 1902 Mont Pelee volcano, located on Martinique, one of the islands of the Caribbean, literally exploded into pieces - four strong explosions sounded like cannon shots. They threw out a black cloud from the main crater, which was pierced by flashes of lightning. Since the emissions did not go through the top of the volcano, but through side craters, then all volcanic eruptions of this type have since been called "Peleian". The superheated volcanic gas, which, due to its high density and high speed of movement, floated above the earth itself, penetrated into all the cracks. A huge cloud covered the area of ​​​​complete destruction. The second zone of destruction stretched for another 60 square kilometers. This cloud, formed from super-hot steam and gases, weighed down by billions of particles of incandescent ash, moving at a speed sufficient to carry rock fragments and volcanic eruptions, had a temperature of 700-980 ° C and was able to melt glass. Mont Pele erupted again - on May 20, 1902 - with almost the same force as on May 8. The volcano Mont-Pele, having scattered to pieces, destroyed one of the main ports of Martinique, Saint-Pierre, along with its population. 36 thousand people died instantly, hundreds of people died from side effects. The two survivors have become celebrities. Shoemaker Leon Comper Leander managed to escape within the walls of his own house. He miraculously survived, although he received severe burns to his legs. Louis Auguste Cypress, nicknamed Samson, was in a prison cell during the eruption and sat there for four days, despite severe burns. After being rescued, he was pardoned, soon he was hired by the circus and was shown during performances as the only surviving resident of Saint-Pierre.

June 1, 1912 eruption began Katmai volcano in Alaska, which has been dormant for a long time. On June 4, ash material was thrown out, which, mixed with water, formed mud flows, on June 6 there was an explosion of colossal force, the sound of which was heard in Juneau for 1200 kilometers and in Dawson for 1040 kilometers from the volcano. Two hours later there was a second explosion of great force, and in the evening a third. Then, for several days, an eruption of a colossal amount of gases and solid products went on almost continuously. During the eruption, about 20 cubic kilometers of ash and debris escaped from the mouth of the volcano. The deposition of this material formed a layer of ash from 25 centimeters to 3 meters thick, and much more near the volcano. The amount of ash was so great that for 60 hours there was complete darkness around the volcano at a distance of 160 kilometers. On June 11, volcanic dust fell in Vancouver and Victoria at a distance of 2200 km from the volcano. AT upper layers atmosphere, it spread throughout North America and fell in large quantities in the Pacific Ocean. For a whole year, small particles of ash moved in the atmosphere. Summer on the entire planet turned out to be much colder than usual, since more than a quarter of the sun's rays falling on the planet were retained in the ashy curtain. In addition, in 1912 surprisingly beautiful scarlet dawns were observed everywhere. A lake with a diameter of 1.5 kilometers formed on the site of the crater - the main attraction of the lake formed in 1980 national park and the Katmai Wildlife Sanctuary.

December 13-28, 1931 there was an eruption volcano Merapi on the island of Java in Indonesia. For two weeks, from December 13 to 28, the volcano erupted a lava flow about seven kilometers long, up to 180 meters wide and up to 30 meters deep. The white-hot stream burned the earth, burned the trees and destroyed all the villages in its path. In addition, both sides of the volcano exploded, and the erupted volcanic ash covered half of the island of the same name. During this eruption, 1,300 people died. The eruption of Mount Merapi in 1931 was the most destructive, but far from the last.

In 1976, a volcanic eruption killed 28 people and destroyed 300 houses. Significant morphological changes taking place in the volcano caused another disaster. In 1994, the dome that had formed in previous years collapsed, and the resulting massive release of pyroclastic material forced the local population to leave their villages. 43 people died.

In 2010, the number of victims from the central part of the Indonesian island of Java was 304 people. The death toll included those who died from exacerbations of lung and heart diseases and other chronic diseases caused by ash emissions, as well as those who died from injuries.

November 12, 1985 eruption began Volcano Ruiz in Colombia, which was considered extinct. On November 13, several explosions were heard one after another. The power of the strongest explosion, according to experts, was about 10 megatons. A column of ash and rock fragments rose into the sky to a height of eight kilometers. The eruption that began caused the instantaneous melting of vast glaciers and eternal snows lying on the top of the volcano. The main blow fell on the city of Armero located 50 kilometers from the mountain, which was destroyed in 10 minutes. Of the 28.7 thousand inhabitants of the city, 21 thousand died. Not only Armero was destroyed, but also a number of villages. Badly affected by the eruption are settlements like Chinchino, Libano, Murillo, Casabianca and others. Mudflows damaged oil pipelines, fuel supply to the southern and western parts of the country was cut off. As a result of the sudden melting of snow lying in the mountains of Nevado Ruiz, nearby rivers burst their banks. Powerful streams of water washed away car roads, demolished power line and telephone poles, destroyed bridges. According to the official statement of the Colombian government, as a result of the eruption of the Ruiz volcano, 23 thousand people died and went missing, about five thousand were seriously injured and maimed. About 4,500 residential buildings and administrative buildings were completely destroyed. Tens of thousands of people were left homeless and without any means of subsistence. The Colombian economy has suffered significant damage.

June 10-15, 1991 there was an eruption Mount Pinatubo on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The eruption began quite rapidly and was unexpected, as the volcano came into a state of activity after more than six centuries of dormancy. On June 12, the volcano exploded, sending a mushroom cloud into the sky. Streams of gas, ash and rocks melted to a temperature of 980 ° C poured down the slopes at a speed of up to 100 kilometers per hour. For many kilometers around, all the way to Manila, day turned into night. And the cloud and the ash falling from it reached Singapore, which is 2.4 thousand kilometers away from the volcano. On the night of June 12 and the morning of June 13, the volcano erupted again, throwing ash and flame into the air for 24 kilometers. The volcano continued to erupt on June 15 and 16. Mud streams and water washed away houses. As a result of numerous eruptions, about 200 people died and 100 thousand were left homeless

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

As the statistics of volcanic eruptions show, this phenomenon seriously affects the climate of the earth and can lead to significant changes in its topography. Large eruptions have repeatedly erased vast territories and created islands and reefs, changing the face of the planet.

Causes of natural phenomena

To understand why volcanoes erupt, you need to go back to geography lessons. The earth is not homogeneous. Top part- The lithosphere encircles the globe, the liquid mantle is deeper, and the core is in the very center. The closer to the center of the earth, the higher the temperature. According to the laws of physics, the hotter layers move up. The mantle is a mobile substance, as if mixed up. The hottest layer reaches the lithosphere and moves along it until it cools down, after which it sinks down.

Lithospheric layers "float" in the mantle, colliding with each other, and moving towards each other, creating cracks and faults. Such a movement is accompanied by the capture of a part of the lithospheric layer, which, dissolving in the mantle, forms magma. This mass consists of rock, which contains gas and water. It has a more liquid consistency compared to the mantle. Under the lithosphere, magma accumulates in faults, and at some point, breaks out to the surface - a volcanic eruption occurs.

The causes of volcanic eruptions are associated with the formation of magma chambers under the earth's surface at a distance of several kilometers, and gases and water vapor cause this substance to move upward, creating an explosive release.

The largest volcanic eruptions

Iceland is a country neighboring Greenland and Norway. The country is located on a plateau of volcanic origin. Almost all of its territory is covered with hot geysers. As the statistics of volcanic eruptions show, most of its territory is uninhabitable. Main formations in Iceland:

1. Hekla. This volcano has a height of 1488 m. It is distinguished by unpredictability, it is difficult to calculate when it will begin to appear and how long it will take. The eruption, which began in March 1947, lasted until April 1948. The last eruption occurred in 2000.
2. Lucky. active volcano, which is a twenty-kilometer field with 115 craters. The most destructive volcanic eruption in Iceland occurred in 1783–1784. It destroyed a quarter of the country and changed its climate. The consequences in the world were just as tragic. The volcanic winter caused drought in India and Japan, with severe consequences for Africa and the United States. The result was the death of about 6 million inhabitants.
3. Grimsvotn. It is interesting in that its crater changes its area in accordance with the strength of the emissions. Over the past century, major eruptions of the Grimsvotn volcano have been recorded. In the last 20 years alone, he woke up 4 times: in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2011. In just a century there were about 20 of them.
4. Askya. Two lakes formed in its caldera. The largest in Iceland, non-freezing - Joskjuvatn and a hundred-meter lake Viti, emitting a sulfurous smell.
5. Katla. It is distinguished by the frequency of eruptions once every 80 years. Its eruptions are associated with powerful floods. Over the past 5 years, its activity has increased, which causes concern, since the last eruption took place in 1918.
6. Eyyafjallajokull. The volcano is named after the glacier located above it. In 2010, one of the most significant recent eruptions for Europe occurred, as there was no possibility to use air transport, and flights were limited from April to May.

Three memorable volcanoes

In Russia, 25 volcanoes are located in Kamchatka. The most famous of them is Klyuchevskoy. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, or as it is also called "Key Sopka", is a young volcano 8000 years old. Its height reaches 4750 m. It is considered to be a large formation.

One of the most beautiful tourist places can be considered the Teide volcano in Tenerife. Its height is 3718 meters. It last erupted in 1798. Fantastic filming took place here, and the mountains themselves have a greenish tint from the copper that is part of the rock.

The mega-formation is called the Yellowstone volcano because of its size and potential destructive power. Beneath its crater is a bubble of magma 8,000 meters deep. In the event of its eruption, the entire western part of the United States will be affected.

This allows you to predict the upcoming eruption, which could be a catastrophe for the entire planet.

Recent eruptions

In Guatemala, on March 9, 2017, the second eruption of the Fuego volcano for the current year occurred, the ejection reached 5000 m. On May 29, the last volcanic eruption in Japan occurred. So Sakurajima woke up. A layer of ash rose to 3400 meters. There were no official data on casualties and damage.

At the peak of the 21st century, there are sad statistics of volcanic eruptions. The amount of ash and magma emissions is increasing, but their consequences are not only associated with destruction. Eruptions: enrich the soil, extract minerals from the bowels, form new islands, create hot springs.

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 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 great amount 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 strong shots, each of which entailed 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. Total number victims amounted to 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, the sun blue color 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 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 reason last disaster became outrageous negligence of the authorities, which 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 the deposits of ash that covered South Asia, Indian Ocean, 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's real volcanic winter, which 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. natural disaster Thus, there was a reduction in 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 safety 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 returned over time, 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. he is part of 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 flows 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. AT last time the volcano erupted lava in 2001, destroying the funicular that led 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 boon 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.

16/04/2010

Experts warn that the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjaldaeküll will reach St. Petersburg in the evening. The chances of citizens to watch the show are small - it is too high. But the consequences of the eruption hit air traffic in the countries of Northern Europe hard. Cancellation of flights to Europe began in St. Petersburg.

1. Vesuvius, Italy, August 24, 79
The eruption destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae. Ash from Vesuvius flew to Egypt and Syria.
Contrary to popular belief, most of the inhabitants of Pompeii left the city before the disaster, out of 20 thousand inhabitants in buildings and on the streets, 2 thousand died. Among the dead is the scientist Pliny the Elder, who, out of scientific interest, approached the volcano on a ship and found himself at the epicenter of the disaster.
In total, more than 80 eruptions of Vesuvius are known, the last occurred in 1944. Vesuvius is the only active Volcano in continental Europe.

2. Tambora, Sumbawa Island, Indonesia, April 5-7, 1815
The largest eruption in modern history in terms of the number of human casualties (92 thousand people died during the disaster and the famine that followed) and the impact on the Earth's climate (ash clouds blocked the sun's rays, which led to a decrease in temperature). As a result, the Tambor culture was completely destroyed, with which the Europeans met just a few years before its death.

3. taupo, New Zealand, about 27 thousand years ago
According to geologists, the last eruption that surpassed Tambora was a volcanic eruption in New Zealand, which led to the formation of Lake Taupo. Today the lake is one of the most beautiful and popular tourist destinations.

4. Krakatau, between the islands of Java and Sumatra, Indonesia, August 27, 1883
The largest volcanic explosion in modern history. The tsunami he caused washed away 163 villages (36,380 people died). The roar from the explosion was heard on 8% of the Earth's territory, pieces of lava were thrown into the air to a height of 55 km, and volcanic ash blown away by the wind fell 5330 km from the eruption site in 10 days (approximate distance between Reykjavik and Karaganda).

5. Santorini, Greece, circa 1450 B.C. e.
The volcanic eruption on the island of Thera led to the death of the Cretan civilization: volcanic sulfur covered all the fields and put an end to agriculture.
There is a version that the island of Thera is the Atlantis described by Plato. There is another version: the pillar of fire that Moses saw is the eruption of Santorin, and the parted sea is a consequence of the island of Thera being submerged in water.
In 1886 (already AD), the eruptions of Santorin continued for a whole year, pieces of lava flying out of the sea rose up to 500 meters. As a result, several new islands appeared.

6. Etna, Sicily, Italy, 1928
About 200 eruptions of Mount Etna are known, including quite powerful ones: the eruption of 1169 led to the death of 15 thousand people. Etna is an active volcano, about once every 150 years it destroys a village to the ground. But the frozen lava makes the soil fertile, so the Sicilians continue to settle on the slopes of the mountain. Moreover, in 1928 a miracle happened: the flow of red-hot lava stopped in front of the Catholic procession. In 1930, a chapel was erected on this site, and 30 years later the lava stopped in front of the chapel.
In 1981, the regional government in Palermo created a nature reserve around Etna.

7. Montagne Pele, Martinique, May 8, 1902
In April 1902, an eruption began in Martinique, and on May 8, a cloud of red-hot lava, vapors and gases covered the city of Saint-Pierre. Within minutes, the city was destroyed. Of the 17 ships that were in the harbor, only one managed to be saved. Of the 28 thousand inhabitants who were in the city, two escaped, including Opost Siparis, who was sentenced to death. The powerful stone walls of the death row saved the convict. The governor pardoned Siparis and he traveled around the world for hundreds of years, talking about what had happened.
Napoleon's wife, Josephine Beauharnais, was born in Saint-Pierre.

8. Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia, November 13, 1985
The main blow fell on the city of Armero located 50 km from the mountain, which was destroyed in 10 minutes. Of the 28,700 inhabitants, 21,000 died. Volcanologists warned people in advance about the catastrophe, but since their predictions turned out to be wrong several times, the scientists were not believed.

9. Pinatubo, Philippines, June 12, 1991
The volcano was considered extinct, silent for 611 years. The 1991 eruption claimed the lives of 875 people, and also destroyed the US Air Force strategic base, located 18 km from Pinatubo, and the US naval base.
The eruption led to a decrease in temperature by 0.5 C and a reduction in the ozone layer, in particular, to the formation of an ozone hole over Antarctica.

10. Katmai, Alaska, June 6, 1912
One of the largest eruptions of the 20th century. The column of ash rose 20 km, the sound was heard for 1200 km in the capital of Alaska, Juneau. A lake with a diameter of 1.5 km formed on the site of the crater - the main attraction of the Katmai National Park and Reserve, formed in 1980.