The most active and dangerous volcanoes in the world. Volcanoes - how are they formed, why do they erupt and why are they dangerous and useful? Active volcanism

Volcanoes on Earth are divided into two types:

• Active(active) - erupted during a historical period of time or during the Holocene (in the last 10 thousand years). Some active volcanoes may be considered sleeping, but eruptions are still possible on them.
• Inactive(extinct) - ancient volcanoes that have lost their activity.

There are about 900 active volcanoes on land (see the list of the largest volcanoes below), in the seas and oceans their number is being determined.

The period of a volcanic eruption can last from several days to several million years.

On other planets

Types of volcanic structures

In general, volcanoes are divided into linear And central, however, this division is arbitrary, since most volcanoes are confined to linear tectonic disturbances ( faults) in the earth's crust.

The shapes of central-type volcanoes depend on the composition and viscosity of the magma. Hot and easily mobile basaltic magmas create vast and flat panel volcanoes (Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Kilauea). If a volcano periodically erupts either lava or pyroclastic material, a cone-shaped layered structure, a stratovolcano, appears. The slopes of such a volcano are usually covered with deep radial ravines - barrancos. Volcanoes of the central type can be purely lava, or formed only by volcanic products - volcanic scoria, tuffs, etc. formations, or be mixed - stratovolcanoes.

There are also monogenic And polygenic volcanoes. The former arose as a result of a single eruption, the latter as a result of multiple eruptions. Viscous, acidic in composition, low-temperature magma, squeezed out of the vent, forms extrusive domes (Montagne-Pelé needle, 1902).

• Shield (shield) volcanoes. Formed as a result of repeated ejections of liquid lava. This shape is characteristic of volcanoes that erupt low-viscosity basaltic lava: it long time flows from both the central vent and the side craters of the volcano. Lava spreads evenly over many kilometers; Gradually, a wide “shield” with gentle edges is formed from these layers. An example is the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii, where lava flows directly into the ocean; its height from its base on the ocean floor is approximately ten kilometers (while the underwater base of the volcano is 120 km long and 50 km wide).
• Slag cones. When such volcanoes erupt, large fragments of porous slag are piled up around the crater in layers in the shape of a cone, and small fragments form sloping slopes at the foot; With each eruption the volcano gets higher. This is the most common type of volcano on land. They are no more than a few hundred meters in height. Often cinder cones form as side cones of a large volcano, or as individual centers eruptive activity during fissure eruptions. An example is that several groups of cinder cones appeared during the last eruptions of the Plosky Tolbachik volcano in Kamchatka in 1975-76 and 2012-2013.
• Stratovolcanoes, or "layered volcanoes". Periodically erupt lava (viscous and thick, quickly solidifying) and pyroclastic matter - a mixture of hot gas, ash and hot stones; as a result, deposits on their cone (sharp, with concave slopes) alternate. Lava from such volcanoes also flows out of cracks, solidifying on the slopes in the form of ribbed corridors that serve as the support of the volcano. Examples are Etna, Vesuvius, Fuji.
• Dome volcanoes. They are formed when viscous granite magma, rising from the depths of the volcano, cannot flow down the slopes and hardens at the top, forming a dome. It clogs its mouth, like a cork, which over time is expelled by the gases accumulated under the dome. Such a dome is now forming over the crater of Mount St. Helens in the northwestern United States, formed during the 1980 eruption.
• Complex (mixed, composite) volcanoes.

Baransky Volcano. Iturup Island.

Volcanic eruption

Hawaiian type

Strombolian type

Volcanic eruptions are geological emergencies that often lead to natural disasters. The eruption process can last from several hours to many years.

An eruption is understood as the process of a significant amount of incandescent and hot substances coming from the depths to the surface. volcanic products in gaseous, liquid and solid states. During eruptions, volcanic structures are formed - characteristically shaped hills, confined to channels and cracks through which eruption products flow from magma chambers to the surface. They usually have the shape of a cone with a depression - a crater - at the top. If it subsides and collapses, a caldera is formed - a vast circus-shaped basin with steep walls and a relatively flat bottom.

A generally accepted assessment of the strength of an eruption, or its explosiveness, without taking into account the individual characteristics of the volcano, is made using the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) scale. It was proposed in 1982 by American scientists C.A. Newhall and S. Self, allowing for a general assessment of the eruption’s impact on the earth’s atmosphere. An indicator of the strength of a volcanic eruption, regardless of its volume and location, on the VEI scale is the volume of erupted products - tephra and the height of the ash column - the eruptive column.

Among the various classifications, general types of eruptions are distinguished:

• Hawaiian type- emissions of liquid basaltic lava, lava lakes are often formed, the lava flow can spread over long distances.
• Strombolian type- lava is thicker and is thrown out of the vent in frequent explosions. The formation of cones from ash, volcanic bombs and lapilli is characteristic.
• Plinian type- powerful rare explosions capable of throwing tephra to a height of several tens of kilometers.
• Peleian type- eruptions, the distinctive feature of which is the formation of extrusive domes and pyroclastic flows (“scorching clouds”).
• Gas (freotic) type- eruptions in which only volcanic gases reach the crater and solid rocks are ejected. No magma is observed.
• Submarine type- eruptions that occur underwater. As a rule, they are accompanied by emissions of pumice.

Post-volcanic phenomena

After eruptions, when the activity of the volcano either stops forever, or it “dormants” for thousands of years, processes associated with the cooling of the magma chamber and called post-volcanic. These include:

During eruptions, a volcanic structure sometimes collapses with the formation of a caldera - a large depression with a diameter of up to 16 km and a depth of up to 1000 m. As magma rises, the external pressure weakens, associated gases and liquid products rush to the surface, and a volcanic eruption occurs. If it is not magma, but ancient rocks that are brought to the surface, and the gases are dominated by water vapor formed when groundwater is heated, then such an eruption is called phreatic.

Volcanic domes of the Eifel

Lava that rises to the earth's surface does not always reach this surface. It only raises layers of sedimentary rocks and hardens in the form of a compact body (laccolith), forming a unique system of low mountains. In Germany, such systems include the Rhön and Eifel regions. On the latter, another post-volcanic phenomenon is observed in the form of lakes filling the craters former volcanoes, which failed to form a characteristic volcanic cone (the so-called maars).

Geysers are found in areas of volcanic activity, where hot rocks are located close to the earth's surface. In places like this The groundwater are heated to boiling point, and a fountain is periodically released into the air hot water and a couple. In New Zealand and Iceland, the energy from geysers and hot springs is used to generate electricity. One of the most famous geysers in the world is Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone. national park(USA), which shoots a jet of water and steam to a height of 45 m every 70 minutes.

Mud volcanoes- small volcanoes through which it is not magma that comes to the surface, but liquid mud and gases from the earth’s crust. Mud volcanoes are much smaller in size than ordinary ones. Mud typically comes to the surface cold, but the gases emitted by mud volcanoes often contain methane and can ignite during the eruption, creating what looks like a miniature volcano eruption.

Heat sources

One of the unresolved problems of volcanic activity is determining the heat source necessary for local melting of the basalt layer or mantle. Such melting must be highly localized, since the passage of seismic waves shows that the crust and upper mantle are usually in a solid state. Moreover, the thermal energy must be sufficient to melt huge volumes of solid material. For example, in the USA in the Columbia River basin (Washington and Oregon states) the volume of basalts is more than 820 thousand km³; the same large strata of basalts are found in Argentina (Patagonia), India (Deccan Plateau) and South Africa (Great Karoo Rise). Currently there are three hypotheses. Some geologists believe that the melting is caused by local high concentrations of radioactive elements, but such concentrations in nature seem unlikely; others suggest that tectonic disturbances in the form of shifts and faults are accompanied by the release of thermal energy. There is another point of view, according to which the upper mantle under conditions of high pressure is in a solid state, and when, due to cracking, the pressure drops, a so-called phase transition occurs - the solid rocks of the mountain mantle melt and liquid lava flows through the cracks onto the surface of the Earth.

Extraterrestrial volcanoes

Volcanoes exist not only on Earth, but also on other planets and their satellites. The first highest mountain in the solar system is the Martian volcano Olympus, 21.2 km high.

On some satellites of the planets (Enceladus and Triton) in conditions low temperatures The erupted “magma” does not consist of molten rock, but of water and light substances. This type of eruption cannot be classified as ordinary volcanism, therefore this phenomenon is called cryovolcanism.

Famous eruptions

• The eruption of Mount Krakatoa in Indonesia in 1883 produced the loudest roar ever heard in history; the sound was heard at a distance of more than 4800 km from the volcano. Atmospheric shock waves circled the Earth seven times and were still visible for 5 days. The eruption killed more than 36,000 people, destroyed 165 villages and damaged another 132 (mostly through the tsunami that followed the eruption). Volcanic eruptions after 1927 created a new volcanic island called Anak Krakatoa.
• The Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii is the most active volcano currently. Last eruption has been going on since 1983, and lava flows reach the ocean.
• In 2010, the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano caused the cancellation of more than 60 thousand flights across Europe.

Recent eruptions

Scientists have observed eruptions at 560 volcanoes. The latest largest of them are presented in the list:

Largest volcanoes on Earth

The largest areas of volcanic activity are South America, Central America, Java, Melanesia, the Japanese Islands, the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, the northwestern part of the USA, Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands, the Aleutian Islands, Iceland, etc.

The list of the largest eruptions in the history of the Earth is constantly updated as the issue is studied.

In culture

Bryullov K.P. The last day of Pompeii. 1830-1833

• Painting by Karl Bryullov “The Last Day of Pompeii”, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation;
• Movies "Volcano", "Dante's Peak" and a scene from the film "".
• During its eruption, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland became the hero of a huge number of humorous programs, television news stories, reports and folk art discussing events in the world.

Ecology

In 2018, scientists dared to predict the intensification of volcanic activity on the planet, frightening ordinary people catastrophic consequences in the form of global climate change, destruction of cities and loss of life.

Such bleak forecasts from experts are not unfounded: for many years now, increasing volcanic activity has been observed along the region of the Pacific volcanic ring of fire, where more than three hundred active volcanoes are located.

The behavior of a couple of other active volcanoes that have managed to ruin the lives of a significant number of people on our planet. But there are about nine hundred active volcanoes on land alone.

Volcanoes are an integral part of the Earth, reminding us of how destructive the fury of nature can be. We present to your attention a list of the ten most dangerous active volcanoes on our planet today.

Active volcanoes

Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii

While the whole world is watching with aspiration how Kilauea volcano covers the most large island Hawaii, not so far from it, peacefully slumbering megavolcano Mauna Loa, whose height is 4169 meters (that is, almost three thousand meters higher than Kilauea!).

Mauna Loa, whose name translates as " long mountain", is the largest active volcano on planet Earth. this moment it is a place of pilgrimage for tourists and a work site for representatives of the scientific world.

The formation of this volcano began approximately 700,000 years ago, while its activity continues to this day. Mauna Loa's most recent eruption occurred in 1984. The underwater part of this volcano is the largest on the planet and is 80 thousand cubic kilometers.

The volcano spews intense lava flows that threaten not only the huge ecosystem that has settled on its slopes, but also nearby human settlements. The Hawaiians in their mythology singled out Mauna Loa as the place of one of the sisters Pele - the goddess of fire, volcanoes and strong winds.

Eyjafjallajokull volcano, Iceland

For some time now, Eyjafjallajökull has become one of the most famous volcanoes on our planet. And this despite the fact that Very few people can pronounce its name without hesitation.. This 1666-meter-high volcano (a mysterious combination of three sixes, isn't it?) is located in the south of Iceland.

It is part of several small glaciers of this island state. The volcano's crater itself, which is three to four kilometers in diameter, was also covered by glaciers. However, the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, which began on March 20, 2010, melted its ice.

Despite the fact that Eyjafjallajökull is not the most large volcano on the territory of Iceland, its eruption caused trouble throughout Europe. The height that the volcanic ash reached was 13 kilometers. And its significant spread led to the suspension of air traffic over the entire Northern Europe.

Almost a month later, volcanic ash from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano was recorded over a huge part of the territory Russian Federation. As a result of the last eruption, a new crack formed on the volcano in the direction from north to southern part, the length of which was two kilometers.

Volcano Vesuvius, Italy

Speaking about the most dangerous active volcanoes on the planet, it would be unforgivable frivolity not to mention the Italian Vesuvius. This volcano the last eruption of which was recorded in 1944, is most famous in the world for the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum that were razed to the ground in 79 AD.

The location of this volcano, the only one active in continental Europe, makes it one of the most dangerous in the world. The reason is the proximity of densely populated regions. Suffice it to say that just fifteen kilometers from Vesuvius is Naples, whose agglomeration exceeds three million people.

Vesuvius does not have an outstanding height - it is only 1281 meters above sea level. His quite frequent activity (one eruption approximately every twenty years) due to the relative youth of the volcano - it was formed about 25,000 years ago.

We most often remember the tragedy of Pompeii, where about two thousand people were buried during the eruption. At the same time, we forget that during the eruption on July 26, 1805 (far from the most powerful eruption of this volcano!), Vesuvius took the lives of 26 thousand people!

Active volcanoes

Volcano Nyiragongo, Congo

If we talk about activity, then the Nyiragongo volcano, whose height is 3469 meters, can rightfully be considered one of the most active. It is known that 34 eruptions have been recorded since 1882. Some of these eruptions continued for many months and even years.

In fact, Nyiragongo and its neighbor Nyamlagira are responsible for forty percent of all eruptions that continue to be observed on the African continent to this day. If we talk about the most destructive eruptions of Nyiragongo, the last one occurred on January 10, 1977.

As a result of that cataclysm, about two thousand people died, and the tragedy occurred literally within the first half hour from the moment the eruption began. Deadliest eruption of Nyiragongo in this century happened in 2002, when 45 people died under lava flows.

Nyiragongo is also famous for having the most big lake molten lava, the diameter of which is two kilometers. The temperature of the lava is 1200 degrees Celsius. Self lake of fire, which is visible even from space, resembles in size a red Cyclopean eye, or, if you like, the eye of Sauron.

Taal Volcano, Philippines

Taal Volcano, whose height is only some 311 meters, is located on the island of Luzon, just 50 kilometers away from the more than one and a half million city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. In fact, it is one of the smallest active volcanoes on our planet.

Despite his size, Taal sent many thousands of people to the next world. It is known that since 1572 this volcano has erupted at least thirty times. It was thanks to his activity that the third largest lake in the Philippines was formed, the greatest depth of which is 172 meters. It is also called Taal.

One of the most powerful eruptions of Taal, which resulted in the death of all living things within a few minutes at a distance of up to ten kilometers from the volcano, occurred on January 30, 1911. Then masses of superheated steam and hot ash killed 1335 people. It is noteworthy that the volcano did not eject lava.

A huge cloud of ash, according to sources of those years, was visible at a distance of more than four hundred kilometers. The last powerful eruption of Taal was also recorded in the last century. It happened in 1965, taking the lives of more than two hundred people.

Volcano Merapi, Indonesia

Some volcanoes destroy settlements and villages, like Nyamlaghira and Taal. Others, like Vesuvius, entire cities. About the Merapi volcano it is known that he destroyed the entire Javanese-Indian kingdom, which was located on the territory of modern Indonesia. This happened in the year 1006.

The highest point of Merapi is 2968 meters. “Mountain of Fire” (that’s how the name of this volcano is translated) does not skimp on deadly eruptions. And this is not surprising, since Merapi is the youngest volcano from the group of its many “relatives” located in the south of the island of Java.

In the first half of the last century, there were 13 eruptions of the “mountain of fire”. It is known, for example, that in 1930, 1,300 people died due to the activity of this volcano. And now in 1974 Merapi wipes out two villages, and just a year later - another village, causing enormous damage to the region’s infrastructure. 29 people died then.

The last powerful eruption of Merapi in 2010 forced more than 350,000 local residents to flee the surrounding region. Some of them, however, dared to return, for which many of them paid with their lives - the volcano sent 353 people to the next world.

The most dangerous volcanoes

Volcano Galeras, Colombia

In Colombia, very close to the border with the Republic of Ecuador, is the majestic Galeras volcano. The height of this giant is 4276 meters. The depth of the crater (about 80 meters) and its diameter (320 meters) turn this volcano into a kind of cannon that has fired more than once.

The Galeras volcano continues to be active, as can be seen from numerous small eruptions. Not many really strong eruptions happened on Galeras. According to scientists, over the past seven thousand years there have been about six major bursts of its activity.

Galeras is very popular place for tourists on site South America who also come to admire the beauty of the mountain located at the foot of the mountain national reserve , the area of ​​which is several thousand hectares.

Galeras constantly keeps in suspense almost half a million people living near the volcano, which, according to experts, remains active for at least a million years. Because of small eruptions, people often die there, and because of the threat of large ones, the authorities periodically evacuate many thousands of residents.

Sakurajima Volcano, Japan

Active Japanese volcano Sakurajima once appeared an independent island. However, after the eruption of 1914, it became part of the Osumi Peninsula, connecting with it through frozen lava flows.

Sakurajima has been continuously active since 1955, posing a serious threat to the city of Kagoshima, with a population of more than six hundred thousand people. However, this did not prevent (but rather helped) the residents of the city to benefit from such a dangerous neighborhood, making the volcano a tourist attraction.

There is a regular ferry to Mount Sakurajima, and from the city itself to the volcano, whose height is 1117 meters, opens up mesmerizingly beautiful view . Given the constant small eruptions of the volcano, it is not surprising that residents have become accustomed to it. For example, in 2014 alone, 471 eruptions occurred!

In early human times, volcanoes were considered punishment from God. Today, we already know the volcano is part of nature, and active volcano could become a natural disaster. All volcanoes are divided into three types: active, dormant and inactive. We offer you the Top 10 most active volcanoes in the world.

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Merapi

Volcano Merapi, which means “Mountain of Fire” in Indonesian. The volcano is located in Indonesia and is one of the hundred most dangerous volcanoes in the world. The age of the volcano is approximately 120 thousand years, the height of the volcano is 2914 meters. The volcano is active, with strong eruptions occurring every seven years. The last major eruption occurred in 2012, and although as many people as possible were evacuated, that eruption killed 353 people.

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Eyjafjallajökull

The volcano with the most unusual, unpronounceable and unmemorable name is Eyjafjallajökull, located in Iceland. It is believed that only 0.005% of the population of our planet can phonetically correctly pronounce the name of a volcano, Russian name does not fully correspond to Icelandic pronunciation. We all remember the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010, when, due to a huge cloud of ash that rose to a height of six kilometers, all air flights in the area were stopped.

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Yellowstone Caldera

The Yellowstone Caldera is located near Yellowstone National Park, USA. This is one of the oldest volcanoes in the world. Its last eruptions were so serious that even after 650 thousand years after it, the consequences are visible. The structure of the volcano indicates that there is a possibility of a volcanic eruption. Scientists, of course, give a low probability of such an eruption, but its consequences are difficult to imagine.

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Nyiragongo

Volcano Nyiragongo is located in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic Congo. Everything would be fine if the lava of this volcano were not so liquid and flowing. Lava contains very little quartz, which is what makes it so dangerous. During an eruption, the speed of lava spread reaches 100 kilometers per hour. Of all the observed eruptions throughout Africa, Mount Nyiragongo accounts for 40% of the eruptions.

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Mauna Loa

The Mauna Loa volcano is located on the island of Hawaii. It is considered one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Scientists estimate the volume of the volcano to be about 17,000 cubic kilometers of magma. The volcano's last eruption occurred in 1984 and lasted nine days.

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Ulawun

Ulawun Volcano is located in Papaya New Guinea. The activity of the volcano was first noted in the 18th century. The last major volcanic eruption occurred in 1980. The spread of magma during this eruption was 22 square meters. kilometer The last recorded volcanic eruption occurred in 2007.

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Tal

Volcano Tal is an extremely active volcano in the Philippines. If we talk about the time when volcanoes began to be monitored and their activity tracked, then since 1572, Tal has erupted more than thirty times. In 1911, the most powerful eruption of the 20th century occurred. The eruption of the Tal volcano in 1911 claimed the lives of more than a thousand people and within a radius of 10 km...

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Galeras

Galeras Volcano is located in Colombia, the height of the volcano is 4200 meters above sea level. Scientists discovered this volcano in December 1580 and since that time scientists and experts have been busy studying it, many of them died. It is believed that the chemical composition of the volcano's magma is very dangerous, and is also dangerous due to its extremely high temperature.

The most active volcanoes in the world. Top 10. Santa Maria

Volcano Santa Maria is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Volcano Santa Maria is located in Guatemala. The height of the volcano is more than 3500 meters above sea level. The last, and first, eruption of the Santa Maria volcano in the 20th century occurred in 1902. This eruption severely damaged one side of the volcano. The eruption itself caused serious damage and resulted in large casualties. More than six thousand people died, a column of ash rose to a height of twenty-eight kilometers.

Ancient people naively mistook volcanic eruptions for the wrath of the gods, however, many people still think so today. But the enlightened part of humanity has long understood that the matter here is not at all about the gods. Under the Earth's mantle there is an ocean of molten magma, which in some places presses harder than usual on the earth's crust and breaks through to the surface, pouring out in the form of lava flows from volcanic vents. Although lava flows burn everything in their path, they are not the worst thing about a volcanic eruption, because there are also deadly pyroclastic flows, clouds of ash, acid rain, volcanic bombs and earthquakes accompanying the eruption. As for the TOP 10 most dangerous volcanoes in the world, in a matter of hours after the eruption they can change everything around them beyond recognition.

1. Yellowstone supervolcano, USA

In the 60s of the last century, scientists discovered that a vast area in Yellowstone National Park was a giant caldera of an ancient supervolcano. More than 3 million daredevils come every year to see the caldera’s increasing activity every year. Of course, it is very interesting to watch the work of geysers and hot springs, but they are potentially harbingers of catastrophic events.
Scientists have determined that the last time this supervolcano exploded was approximately 640 thousand years ago. If this were to happen again today, 87,000 people living near Yellowstone would likely die. A powerful eruption could completely change the landscape of the western United States, and huge masses of volcanic ash would cause climate change around the world and threaten the lives of people and animals. The explosion of such a volcano would become a full-scale global catastrophe, comparable to the fall of a large meteorite. Scientists suggest that at a depth of 8 kilometers under the caldera, a giant bubble of magma slowly rises, which heats the groundwater to a boil - hence the numerous hot springs and geysers. Unfortunately, science is still unable to make accurate predictions regarding eruptions, so we can only hope that it won't be too soon.

On our planet there are a wide variety of dangerous places, which have recently begun to attract special category extreme tourists looking for...

2. Vesuvius, Italy

The last time Vesuvius, which has a height of 1281 meters, erupted in 1944. All schoolchildren are familiar with this volcano from the famous painting by Karl Bryullov “The Last Day of Pompeii”, which picturesquely depicts the strong eruption of 79 that destroyed all local settlements, the most famous of which were the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The ash of the pyroclastic flow that covered Pompeii preserved everything that did not have time to burn, and after large-scale excavations a very interesting museum open air.
Vesuvius erupts about once every 20 years, although its last eruption was in 1944. Despite this, people continue to actively settle in the immediate vicinity of the mountain and even on it itself. Therefore, any powerful eruption of Vesuvius may again be accompanied by large casualties.

3. Popocatepetl, Mexico

With a height of 5426 meters, the Popocatepetl volcano last erupted in 2000. It is only about 50 kilometers from Mexico City. During the last eruption, the authorities saved 41 thousand local residents from certain death by evacuating them in time. But with 9 million Mexicans now living within the blast radius of the volcano, a potential explosion could spell disaster. The activity of the volcano and the densely populated surroundings make Popocatépetl very dangerous. The peaks of the volcano are covered with glacier. According to historical data, after 1519 there were over 20 eruptions of this volcano.

4. Sakurajima, Japan

The volcano is not very high (1117 meters), and last erupted in 2015. Due to its high activity, it is called the “eastern Vesuvius”. At one time, the volcano rose from under the water near the coast of Japan, but after the 1914 eruption, lava flows formed a “bridge” connecting the volcano to the “mainland”. Every year, thousands of micro-eruptions of Sakurajima occur, during which ash is ejected from its vent and spread throughout the surrounding area. In the event of a powerful eruption, the city of Kagoshima with a population of 700 thousand people will be in danger.

Since primitive times, man has been using various plants: at first he only ate them, then he learned to make fabrics, paper, houses, ships from them, and...

5. Galeras, Colombia

The last time this tall (4276 m) volcano erupted was in 2010. It is located on the border with Ecuador. Volcanologists have determined that this volcano has been active for at least a million years. Its first documented eruption took place in 1580. Galeras remained inactive for a decade after 1978, after which it began to erupt regularly again. On eastern ridge The volcano is the city of Pasto, where 450 thousand Colombians live, risking their lives.

6. Merapi, Indonesia

The 2,930-metre tall volcano Merapi, which means “mountain of fire”, last staged a show in 2010. In Indonesia, it is the most active of the active volcanoes, pouring out a huge volume of lava, for which it has no equal in the world. The volcano has been active for at least 10,000 years. The latest eruption killed 353 Indonesians and left 320 thousand homeless. The city authorities then finally developed an evacuation plan.

7. Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo

The last time this 3,470 m high volcano erupted was in 2011. It has a very large crater, which periodically fills with lava, and then lava lake disappears. But sometimes things go wrong, for example, in 1977, when under the pressure of lava the crater wall collapsed, and liquid molten stone rushed down to the villages at the speed of a locomotive. As a result, thousands of people were killed and injured by the lava. In 2002, under similar circumstances, another 147 people died, and 120 thousand people were left homeless.

8. Ulawun, Papua New Guinea

The 2,334-meter active volcano last erupted in 2013. Locals They respectfully call him “father.” This symmetrical peak grew on the island of New Britain. Since the beginning of the 18th century, 22 powerful eruptions of the Ulawun volcano have been recorded. Residents living next to it still witness its periodic weak eruptions. Although now the mountain looks impeccable from the point of view of decorating the landscape, after a strong eruption it is unlikely to retain its exterior, and significant areas of the surrounding lands will be destroyed.

Under dangerous natural phenomena refers to extreme climatic or meteorological phenomena that occur naturally in that area...

9. Tal, Philippines

This volcano is very small in height - only 311 meters, and its last eruption was observed in 1965. This volcano grew in the middle of Lake Tal on the Philippine island of Luzon. Manila, the capital of the country, is very close, so for its population of 1.6 million people, the volcano is not at all a hypothetical threat. This “baby” has erupted 33 times since 1572. Although many tourists come to this island every year, they are immediately warned to stay away from the volcano. The most powerful eruption of the last century occurred here in 1911. Then the volcano was able to kill more than 1,330 people, and all living creatures within a radius of 10 kilometers died.

10. Mauna Loa, Hawaii

This tall (4,169 meters) volcano last erupted in 1984. In general, it has been active for at least 700 thousand years. But, fortunately, most of its eruptions are weak, only occasionally lava flows acquire high speed and become dangerous for settlements located on the slopes. Basically, the volcano spews viscous lava, which slowly creeps along the surface, so residents have time to evacuate. But volcanologists believe that the likelihood of a catastrophic eruption of this volcano is very high. In addition to eruptions, Mauna Loa is also dangerous due to destructive landslides, which, although rare, are extremely dangerous.

Volcanoes are attractive due to their beauty, but they can harbor destructive power, causing massive loss of life and severe destruction. Although volcanic eruptions themselves are relatively rare and are monitored by scientists, they still pose a huge source of danger for people who choose to live near them. Here is a list of the 10 most active volcanoes:

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Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA

Mauna Loa Volcano is one of the largest volcanoes on our Earth in terms of height and area covered. It is also one of the five volcanoes that form the island of Hawaii in America. Mauna Loa is an active volcano that has likely been erupting for 700,000 years. The most recent eruption occurred relatively recently, from March 24 to April 15, 1984.

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This famous volcano is located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, it is located about 50 km from the capital of this country - Manila. Taal is one of the active Philippine volcanoes, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. It erupted many times, bringing nearby settlements around the lake there are victims and destruction. The last eruption occurred in 1977, but signs of activity have been recorded regularly since 1991, characterized by both high activity and small seismic fracturing.

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Ulawun, Papua New Guinea

The most active volcano in Papua New Guinea- Ulavun, he is also one of the most dangerous. This is the most high volcano and the most high peak in the Bismarck Archipelago. The very first recorded eruption of Ulawun occurred in 1700. From then until now, 22 eruptions have occurred. Several thousand people permanently live near the volcano. During a major eruption in 1980, ash was thrown up to a height of 18 kilometers, producing pyroclastic flows that swept along the entire flanks of the volcano and devastated an area of ​​20 square kilometers.

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Nyiragongo, Congo

One of the most active volcanoes in Africa and one of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains. Nyiragongo has erupted at least 34 times since 1882. The most recent destructive eruption of Mount Nyiragongo occurred on January 17, 2002, when hot lava destroyed 40% of the city of Goma.

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Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is the most famous and active volcano in Indonesia, erupting regularly since 1548. It is located very close to the city of Yogyakarta, where thousands of people live on the slopes of Merapi. The volcano has been active for 10,000 years.

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Galeras, Colombia

Galeras has been active for at least about 1 million years. The volcano is located in southern Colombia, near the border with Ecuador. In this country, Galeras is the most active volcano.

After only 10 years of dormancy, Galeras became active again in 1988. In 1993, a terrible disaster occurred when an expedition of several scientists went to the Galeras crater. The eruption happened very unexpectedly and led to the death of nine people: six scientists and three tourists.

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Sakurajima is an active composite volcano and former island. Often called the Vesuvius of the East, eruptions occur almost constantly. Remnants of eruptions formed highlands in this region from white sand. The volcano is dangerous due to its location in a densely populated area - near the city of Kagoshima, which is very close to the volcano.

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Popocatepetl is an active volcano and the second highest peak in Mexico (elevation 5426 m). Residents of the city of Puebla, which is only 40 km east of the volcano, can enjoy views of the snow-capped and glacier-covered mountain almost all year round. The last major eruption occurred in 2000. Fortunately for the residents, then scientists were able to warn the government in time, and people were evacuated from the disaster area in time.

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Vesuvius, Italy

Mount Vesuvius is located 9 km east of Naples at a short distance from the coast. This is the only volcano in Europe that has been erupting for the last hundred years. Vesuvius has erupted many times, most recently in 1944. Today, Vesuvius is considered one of the most destructive volcanoes in the world due to the 3 million people living nearby and the high probability of its eruptions.

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Yellowstone Caldera, USA

This is the most dangerous active supervolcano, which means that the volume of emissions from this volcano could be more than 1000 cubic kilometers, which would have devastating consequences. Volcanic super eruptions typically cover large areas with lava and volcanic ash, enough to threaten the extinction of entire species. Such a super-eruption could be one of the reasons for the death of our civilization, because when this volcano erupts, it causes the activity of other volcanoes, which leads to massive tectogenesis.

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Conclusion

These were the most active and dangerous volcanoes peace. We hope you liked our material.