Wednesday 29 November 2017

For the worried volcano neighbour

How a Volcano is Likely to Kill You

This article enumerates the relative dangers of volcano related phenomena. During an eruption, a volcano can produce pyroclastic flows, ashfall, volcanic bombs, lava-flows, mass-wasting events and sometimes tsunami. Pyroclastic flows are hot avalanches of debris and gases. Landslides and rock-avalanches can occur during an eruption or after it when the slopes of the volcano collapse. A lahar is a type of mudflow or debris flow, made from volcanic debris and water, flowing down from a volcano. Lahars can occur during an eruption or also years later when volcanic deposits are remobilized during intense rainfall. A tsunami can be the result of the complete or partial collapse of the volcano.

The one that gives me the willies are pyroclastic density currents. The video below illustrates why.

But all is not doom and gloom. The second video shows that, in favourable circumstances, precautions can be taken and they do work.








No comments: