Volcanoes are one of nature’s most spectacular live shows, they are also one of the most dangerous and deadly forces on earth, made all the worse for being unpredictable and untameable. One of the most recent high profile eruptions came in 2010 with Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland spewed out plumes of smoke for over a week, causing ash to settle in the sky, making air travel impossible for hundreds of thousands of people.
This minor disruption pales into insignificance however when compared to mass scale destruction that resulted after the eruption of certain other volcanoes throughout the world. The Pompeii tragedy is familiar to us all, having been a mainstay in history lessons, while the Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980 is still fresh in the minds of many, a disaster which killed 57 people, caused millions of pounds worth of damaged, and scattered ash over almost a third of the U.S.A.
The quick thinking of officials prevented a much higher death toll, and the advancement of science and technology can detect possible eruptions weeks or even months before they occur, meaning the potential for disaster is much less than it was even a few decades ago. The intrinsic unpredictability of nature means that volcanoes are liable to erupt at any time.
Here are five of the world’s most active and worrisome volcanoes and the six countries most at risk…
1. Mount Merapi, Yogylarta, Indonesia
Indonesia and Micronesia are among the most volcanically active regions in the world, Mount Merapi is perhaps the most feared in these parts, and has been erupting regularly since 1548, some of which have resulted in fatalities. The real problem here however is the Volacano’s proximity to nearby city, Yogyakarta, if the worst did happen, a mass evacuation would need to be carried out quickly to avoid a high death toll.
2. Mount Nyiragongo, Goma, DR Congo
Mount Nyiragongo together with neighbouring Mount Nyamuragira is responsible for 40% of Africa’s volcanic eruptions. What sets this apart from other volcanoes is its distinctive lava lake, a bubbling pool of molten magma sitting in a crater at the peak. In 1977 a fracture in the crater meant that lava flowed into nearby villages, reportedly killing 70. In 2002 a more disastrous eruption took place in 2002 when 147 were killed, many from asphyxiation due to the release of CO2 and methane, the lava flow went as far as the runway of Goma International Airport.
3. Mount Vesuvius, Naples, Italy
Mount Vesuvius, located near Naples in Italy is responsible for the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum in AD 79, the towns were completely obliterated and buried under mounds of ash and lava which hardened to form rock, Remains of the towns were only discovered in the 18th century. This demonstrates the destructive potential of Vesuvius, underlined by the fact that around three million people live within striking distance of the summit.
4. Mount Baker, U.S.A, Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A
Mount Baker is the close neighbour of Mount St. Helens in Washington, a highly volcanic region where residents would be wise to be on their guard. Rising temperatures were first recorded in 1975, and they are still being monitored, the main issue with an eruption here would be that snow on top of the mountain would melt causing landslides and possibly floods.
5. Teide, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
Tenerife and the other Canary Islands are well known for their unique, lunar-like landscape influenced by the volcanic soil in the area. Volcano tours are popular with visitors to the area, but tourists would be well advised to steer clear of Mount Teide at the centre of the island, the highest Volcano in the world lasted erupted in 1909 and another would have a serious impact on the nearby towns of Garachico and Icod de los Vinos as well as Puerto de la Cruz.
6. Mount Katla, Iceland
There are so many amazing places to go in Iceland, and seeing the impressive landscapers and volcanoes is really impressive.
As previously mentioned, the Eyjafjallajökull eruption is still fresh in the minds of the world, but nearby Mount Katala could cause far more widespread destruction, not just to Iceland itself but to the wider world. 500 tremors recorded around the mountain in just a month indicates that molten magma inside the volcano is on the move, looking at the historical record of Katla, an eruption is certainly due, and experts believe it could have a similar effect to a 1783 blast.
That year, a fifth of Iceland’s population was wiped out and the world’s climate temporarily altered when lingering ash clouds caused a ‘nuclear winter’, blocking out the sun and cooling the world’s climate, impacting crop growth and causing widespread famine. Not only this, but a Katla eruption could melt the huge ice sheet on the mountain, making sea levels rise.
