One of the most dangerous types of natural disasters that a person is not able to prevent, stop or control is a volcanic eruption. It occurs due to constant changes in the composition of the earth's crust, as well as due to the movement of its plates. The most dangerous volcanoes in the world on the map can be found in various parts of it. These include such as Merapi, Santorini, Popokatepetl, Mauna Loa, Rainier, Nyiragongo, Colima, Sakurajima, Koryaksky, Papandayan, Taal, Ulavun, Santa Maria and many others. About them in more detail and will be discussed further.
Merapi
On the island of Java (Indonesia) there is an active volcano Merapi, whose name in translation from the local language means "mountain of fire". Its height is 2914 meters. Nearby is the ancient city of Yogyarta. The active activity of this volcano, belonging to the Pacific Ring of Fire, began about four hundred thousand years ago. According to statistics, about once every seven years, large eruptions occur here, and once every six months - small ones. At the same time, almost all the timehe smokes. It should also be noted that for almost seventeen centuries it was Merapi that topped the list of "The most dangerous volcanoes in the world."
The crater here resembles a huge quarry that was dug as a result of many explosions of the strongest power. It consists of massive hard rocks, which in the majority of cases are andesites. There are a huge number of small cracks-holes on the slopes, which can be clearly seen at night thanks to the crimson-red flames.
The last serious eruption of this volcano began in May 2006. For almost a year, several million cubic meters of lava were ejected from the crater, which descended into the local villages. As a result of this process, more than one thousand people died. One of the worst natural disasters in the history of the volcano dates back to 1906. Then, due to a crevice in the mountain, part of the cone slipped into the valley. After that, there was an explosion of enormous power, which led to the death of an entire civilization - the state of Mataram, which reached a high level of development at that time.
Santorini
According to geological studies, the Santorin volcano is relatively young and appeared about 200 thousand years ago. Over a long period of time, it was clogged with lava, which gradually accumulated in the vent. About 25 thousand years ago, the internal pressure of gases exceeded the strength of rather soft rocks, which, in turn, led to a strongexplosion. After him, the caldera was filled with lava, from which an island was formed, which now bears the same name. Currently, Santorini volcano is not very active. Its last serious eruption dates back to February 20, 1886. On this day, there was a strong explosion, which, according to the recollections of eyewitnesses, published later, was accompanied by the release of red-hot lava from the sea, as well as steam and ash, rising to a height of several hundred meters.
Popocatepetl
The Popocatepetl Volcano is well known to every inhabitant of the capital of Mexico, located at a distance of about fifty kilometers from it. The fact is that about twelve million people live in Mexico City, each of whom has the opportunity to see this volcano both from high skyscrapers and from the yards of small houses located in poor areas of the city. The literal translation of its name from the Aztec language means "smoking mountain". At the same time, over the past twelve centuries, large eruptions have not occurred from it. Only occasionally a small amount of pieces of lava, ash and gases are ejected from the crater. In the twentieth century, the Popocatepetl volcano was distinguished by small bursts of activity in 1923 and 1993. The main danger to people that was associated with them was not so much in hot lava as in mud streams that swept away everything in their path. They were formed as a result of melting on the slopes of glaciers. Much to the happiness of the inhabitants of Mexico City and its suburbs, as a result of the last eruption, the northern slopeswere not affected, so no one was hurt.
Mauna Loa
Mauna Loa Volcano is active and is located on the territory of the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Its height reaches 4170 meters. The main feature of this volcano is that it is the largest on the planet in terms of the amount of constituent material, taking into account the underwater part (its volume is about eighty thousand cubic kilometers). The most powerful eruptions are accompanied by emissions in the form of fountains of a huge amount of lava. It breaks out not only from the crater itself, but also from the sides through relatively small cracks. The height of such fountains sometimes reaches a mark of one kilometer. Under the action of high temperatures, numerous tornadoes are formed here, which accompany the red-hot mantle on its way down. According to official documents, the Mauna Loa volcano last erupted in 1984. Since 1912, he has been constantly monitored. Their main purpose is to warn residents of an impending natural disaster in the form of a volcanic eruption. For this purpose, a whole volcanological station has been specially created here. In addition to it, there is a solar and atmospheric observatory.
Rainier
Volcano Rainier is located 87 kilometers from the American city of Seattle. It is part of the Cascade Mountains, where with a height of 4392 meters is the highest peak. At the top there are two volcanic craters, the diameter of which is more than three hundred meters. mountain slopescovered with snow and ice, free of which are the rim and the area of the crater. The reason for this is the high temperature that operates here. Not all volcanoes in the world can boast of such a solid age as Rainier has. According to geological studies, the process of its formation started about 840 thousand years ago.
There is every reason to believe that due to snow and ice, along with debris avalanches, large mudflows appeared here earlier, causing great harm to the entire surrounding area. Because of their appearance, not only people died, but also animals and plants. They are the main danger now. The fact is that many settlements are located nearby the deposits of these streams. Another serious problem is the presence of a large amount of ice in the upper part. In connection with the constant hydrothermal activity, although slowly, it is still weakening. According to geologists, if a large mudflow occurs, it can move far enough and destroy even parts of Seattle. Moreover, the possibility that such a phenomenon will lead to a tsunami on Lake Washington cannot be ruled out.
Nyiragongo
In the northern part of the African state of the Republic of the Congo, on the territory of the Virunga mountains, there is the peak of Nyiragongo. It belongs to the list of "the most active volcanoes in the world", a vivid confirmation of which is the fact that over the past 130 years 34 eruptions of varying degrees of power have been officially registered. It should be noted that some ofthey lasted for years. The last activity of the volcano was noted in 2008. Nyiragongo has lava whose composition is different from others. The fact is that it contains a lot of quartz, so it is highly fluid and liquid. This is the main danger, because the speed of its flow along the mountain slopes can reach 100 km / h. It is not surprising that the inhabitants of the nearby villages have almost no chance of quickly responding to the release of lava.
Nyiragongo Volcano lies at an altitude of 3470 meters above sea level. As for the lake with a hot mantle, it goes deep into the vent to a distance of about 400 meters. According to scientists, it contains about ten million cubic meters of lava. According to this indicator, the lake is considered the largest on the planet. The level of lava is never at a constant place and fluctuates all the time. The vent was filled to the very top for the last time in 2002. The result of this incident was the complete destruction of the town of Goma, which was nearby.
Colima
Volcano Colima is located in the Mexican state of Jalisco, in the western part of the country, at a distance of about eighty kilometers from the Pacific coast. In the state, he is considered the most active. Its interesting feature is that it is part of a volcanic complex consisting of two conical peaks. The first of them is almost always under the snow and ice cover and is an extinct volcano Nevado de Colima. Its height is 4625 meters. Second Peakrises to 3846 meters and is also known as the "Fire Volcano".
The Colima crater is small, so lava does not accumulate in it much. At the same time, a high degree of its activity leads to the fact that considerable pressure is created inside, so the red-hot mantle, along with gases and ash, is thrown far enough away, and this whole process resembles a real pyrotechnic show. The last serious eruption of this volcano happened ten years ago. The ash thrown out of the crater then rose to a height of about five kilometers, and the government decided to temporarily evacuate nearby settlements.
Sakurajima
The Sakurajima Volcano, located near the Japanese city of Kagoshima, is classified as the first category of danger. In other words, its eruption could begin at any second. In 1955, a period of constant activity of this volcano started. In this regard, the Japanese living nearby are constantly living with a readiness for immediate evacuation. In order to be able to do this quickly and have at least a small margin of time, webcams are installed above Sakurajima, through which the state of the crater is continuously monitored. No modern Japanese is surprised by the constant training in disaster management and the abundance of shelters. It is not surprising that Sakurajima is still among the leaders of the list of "The most dangerous volcanoes in the world."
One of the largest eruptions of this volcano everthe history of its existence happened in 1924. A strong earthquake then warned the locals about the impending danger, so most of them managed to evacuate to a safe distance. It was after this natural disaster, as a result of the huge volume of lava poured out, that the so-called Sakura Island turned into a peninsula. The fact is that it formed an isthmus that connected it with Kyushu, on which the city of Kagoshima is located. For another whole year, the red-hot mantle slowly poured out of the crater, which led to a significant increase in the level of the bottom. Scientists suggest that its huge caldera was formed by similar processes that took place more than twenty thousand years ago.
Koryaksky Volcano
One of the main attractions not only of the Kamchatka Peninsula, but of the whole of Russia, is rightfully considered the Koryaksky volcano. It is the highest in its group (3456 meters), and also one of the most beautiful. The mountain has the shape of a classic regular cone, so it can be safely called a typical representative of stratovolcanoes. The modern, very rarely functioning, crater lies in the western part. It has a depth that is only 24 meters. An ancient vent, now filled with a glacier, is located in the northern part.
The main feature of the Koryaksky volcano is now considered to be its low activity. In historical documentation, there are memories of only two of its eruptions. It is difficult to call them strong, but they happenedthey are in 1895 and 1956. In the first case, the lava flowed calmly from the vent, and this process was not even accompanied by explosions, so many local residents did not even notice what had happened. The languages of those streams on the slopes that froze before even reaching the foot have survived to this day.
The second volcanic eruption became more expressive. At that time, his awakening was accompanied by a series of tremors. A crack appeared on the side of the mountain measuring 500 x 15 meters in length and width, respectively. From it there was an emission of gases, ash and other products of volcanic origin. Some time later, the gap was filled with cinders and small debris. At the same time, characteristic sounds were heard from there, which at the same time resembled squelching, hissing, hooting and whistling. An interesting feature of this eruption was the complete absence of lava. Today, on the volcano, you can see with the naked eye the release of vapors and gases, which occurs almost constantly.
Papandayan
Currently, there are about 120 volcanoes on the Indonesian island of Java. Approximately one in four of them is active, and therefore poses a danger to people. Earlier, we have already talked about one of their representatives - Merapi. In addition to it, one should also note the Papandayan volcano, which is especially popular with tourists. This is explained by the presence in its vicinity of a large number of mud springs and geysers, as well as a mountain river flowing along the slope. The fact is that it has a healing effect on the human body. Its temperature isalmost 42 degrees.
The volcano is one of the most dangerous and largest on our planet. Its crater is located above sea level at an altitude of 1800 meters. Near a sharp vent, sulfuric gases mix with cold mountain mist. It should be noted that a road was built directly to the crater itself. As for the eruptions of Papandayan, the last of them was recorded here more than ten years ago.
Taal
Of all the active volcanoes on our planet, the smallest is Taal, which is located fifty kilometers from Manila, the capital of the Philippines. On the lake of the same name, it forms a kind of island, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich is about 23 square kilometers. It is not surprising that active volcanic activity preceded its appearance. At an altitude of 350 meters above sea level, there is a crater, inside which a lake with a diameter of two kilometers was formed. Over the past five hundred years, 33 Taal eruptions of varying degrees of power have been recorded. The most catastrophic of these in the twentieth century occurred in 1911. It resulted in the death of more than one thousand people. At the same time, a huge cloud of ejected ash was visible at a distance of 400 kilometers from the volcano. The last eruption dates back to 1965. It killed more than two hundred people.
Despite the high danger of this place, there are five cities and many small settlements on the shores of the lake. It should also be noted the presence of two power plants that are located and operate nearby. Employees of the local seismological institute are constantly studying changes in the state of the volcano in order to prevent the next eruptions. Despite everything, the Taal Volcano is considered one of the most popular tourist sites in the Philippines. According to the reviews of the tourists who visited it, a unique view of the surroundings, the sea, and the islands opens up from above. You can get here by boat from any town located on the lake.
Ulavun
Speaking of the most dangerous volcanoes on our planet, one cannot help but recall Ulavun, which consists mainly of bas alt and andesite. It is located on the territory of the state of Papua New Guinea and is one of those that erupt most often. Its height is 2334 meters. The slopes of the mountain at an altitude of up to one thousand meters are covered with a wide variety of vegetation. Many years ago it was completely under water. As a result of eruptions that occurred under its surface, strong tsunamis almost always arose. Under the influence of faults in the earth's crust in 1878, the Ulavun volcano rose and became visible above the water.
In 1700, its eruption was officially recorded for the first time. Then, not far from Papua New Guinea, a ship was sailing, on board of which was William Dampier, a famous traveler from Great Britain. He later described this unforgettable process in his memoirs. Another famous eruption of Ulawun happened in 1915. It was so strong that a village located fifty kilometers from the epicenter was covered with a twelve-centimeter layer of ash. It is impossible not to note the natural disaster that happened on May 28, 1937, when a thick layer of ash settled 120 kilometers from the crater. In total, over the past two hundred years, there have been 22 eruptions of this volcano.
Santa Maria
In Guatemala is the oldest active stratovolcano on Earth. It has a height of 3772 meters and a rather complex structure. The diameter of its main cone is ten kilometers. On the southwestern slope, you can see many depressions that were formed as a result of eruptions in ancient times. As for the northern slope, craters and huge potholes are located near its foot. According to scientific research, the first eruptions began to occur here about thirty thousand years ago.
Locals named the volcano Santa Maria as "Gagksanul". It should be noted that until October 24, 1992, he was active and was in a state of sleep for five hundred years. However, the first eruption after that had catastrophic consequences. The explosion was so powerful that even the inhabitants of Costa Rica, which is eight hundred kilometers away, heard it. Moreover, the ash rose 28 kilometers in height. More than 5,000 people died as a result of the eruption. In addition, a huge number of buildings were destroyed. Their total area, according to the statements of the world press, amounted to over 180 thousand square kilometers. It should be noted that the famous lava dome called Santiago also arose at the same time.
OnDuring the twentieth century, a total of three major eruptions were recorded. And today it is considered one of the most potentially dangerous on the planet, because the strongest roar from the crater, accompanied by the release of tons of ash and volcanic rocks, can begin at any moment.
