Historical Volcanoes
Notable eruptions within historic times have been those of Vesuvius, in Italy (a.d. 79,
1906, and other times); Tambora, in Indonesia, where between
30 and 50 cu mi (125–210 cu km) of molten and shattered rock were
blown into the air (1815); Krakatoa, near Java, material from
which was sent 17 mi (27 km) into the atmosphere (1883);
Parícutin, in Mexico, the volcano that began in a cornfield
(1943); Hibok Hibok, on Camiguin island in the Philippines, which killed
84 people (1948); Besymianny, in Kamchatka, where 2 cu mi (8 cu km) of
material were hurled into the air (1956); the peak of Tristan da Cunha, whose eruption
caused the entire settlement to be evacuated (1961); Agung, in Bali, which killed 1,100
people (1963); Mt. St. Helens in Washington, which exploded with an
energy equivalent to 10 million tons of TNT, killing 35, with 25 missing
(1980); El
Chichón in Mexico, which expelled about 500
million tons of ash and gas and killed some 2,000 people (1982); and Mt.
Pinatubo in
the Philippines, which killed over 500 people and ejected over 2 cu mi
(8 cu km) of material (1991). Other notable volcanoes are Cotopaxi and Chimborazo (Ecuador), Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl (Mexico),
Lassen Peak and Katmai (United States), Etna (Sicily), and Hekla, Katla, and Laki (Iceland). Mauna Loa (Hawaii) is the world's
largest active volcano, projecting 13,677 ft (4,170 m) above sea level
and over 29,000 ft (8,850 m) above the ocean floor; from its base below
sea level to its summit, Mauna Loa is taller than Mt. Everest. In 1963
the birth of the volcanic island Surtsey near Iceland was observed.
In November of that year events began with a submarine eruption along
the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Eruption followed eruption until they ended in
June, 1967, by which time the island stood 492 ft (150 m) above sea
level and covered an area of almost 2 sq mi (3 sq km). The island has
diminished in size since then due to erosion.
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