How can the worst volcano eruptions be measured? Should it be based on the number of people killed or the cost of the damage and destruction? Or should it be the size of the explosion?
TABLE1 The worst volcano eruptions based on the number of deaths
Number of deaths
Main volcanic impacts Pyroclastic flow Volcanic ash Pyroclastic flow
Volcano
Location Indonesia
Date
Mt Tambora
5–10 April 1815
71000+
Mt Pelee
West Indies Indonesia
25 April–8 May 1902 26–28 August 1883 13 November 1985
30000
Mt Krakatoa
36000+
Tsunami
Nevado del Ruiz
Colombia
23000
Lahars
Mt Unzen
Japan
1792
12 000–15 000
Landslide Tsunami
Mt Vesuvius
Italy
24 April 79 CE
13000+
Pyroclastic flow Volcanic ash Volcanic gases (Flourine and sulphur dioxide)
Laki Volcanic System
Iceland
8 June 1783–February 1784
9350
Mt Kelud Mt Kelud
Indonesia Indonesia
1586
10000
Lahars Lahars
19May 1919
5110
Source: EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium, www.emdat.be (D. Guha-Sapir), 14 April 2020 version
TABLE2 The worst volcano eruptions based on economic impact Volcano Location
Date 1985 1980 2015 1991 1982 2006 1983 1982 1994 2011
Estimated loss (million US$)
Nevado del Ruiz Mount St Helens
Colombia
1000
USA Chile
860 600 211 160 150 149 117 110 104
Calbuco
Mount Pinatubo
Philippines Indonesia Ecuador Indonesia
Galunggung Tungurahua Gamalama El Chichon
Mexico
Rabaul
Papua New Guinea
Puyehue-Cordon Caulle
Chile
Source: EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium, www.emdat.be (D. Guha-Sapir), 14 April 2020 version.
14.12.2 Why do people live near volcanoes? Geoscience Australia (a national organisation that provides geographic information to the government) estimates that 180 million people in the Asia–Pacific region live within 50 kilometres of a dangerous volcano. There is also a strong relationship between the location of volcanoes and resources such as fertile soils, ore deposits and geothermal energy . Fertile soils Some of the most fertile soils on Earth have come from volcanic deposits of ash that is rich in nutrients, and from the physical breakdown of volcanic rocks over thousands or millions of years.
408 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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