List of large volcanic eruptions of the 20th century
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This is a list of volcanic eruptions of the 20th century measuring a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of at least 4, as well as notable smaller eruptions. Note that there may be many other eruptions that have not been identified, and estimates for the size of eruptions can be subject to considerable uncertainties.
VEI | Volcano (eruption) | Year | Casualties | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 | La Soufrière[1] | 1902 | 1,680 | |
4 | Mount Pelée[2] | 1902 | 33,000 | Deadliest eruption of the 20th century and the deadliest natural disaster in the history of France. |
6 | Santa María Volcano[3] | 1902 | 6,000 | |
4 | Grímsvötn[4] | 1903 | ||
4 | Lolobau Volcano[5] | 1904 | ||
5 | Ksudach[6] | 1907 | ||
4 | Lolobau Volcano[7] | 1911 | ||
6 | Novarupta[8] | 1912 | Largest eruption of the 20th century. | |
5 | Volcán de Colima[9] | 1913 | ||
4 | Sakurajima[10] | 1914 | ||
4 | Tungurahua[11] | 1916 | ||
4 | Katla[12] | 1918 | ||
4 | Kelud[13] | 1919 | 5,000 | |
4 | Manam Motu[14] | 1919 | ||
4 | Raikoke[15] | 1924 | ||
5 | Submarine Volcano NNE of Iriomote Island[16] | 1924 | Underwater volcano. | |
4 | Avachinsky[17] | 1926 | ||
4 | Mount Hokkaidō Koma-ga-take[18] | 1929 | ||
4 | Klyuchevskaya Sopka[19] | 1931 | ||
4 | Mount Aniakchak[20] | 1931 | ||
4 | Volcán de Fuego[21] | 1932 | ||
5 | Cerro Azul[22] | 1932 | 0 | It is the largest recorded eruption in the history of Chile, the eruption threw ash between the cities of Rancagua and Chillán, leaving them in the dark in broad daylight, the explosions were noticeable as far away in the Chilean capital, Santiago, at 245 km from distance, the ashes arrived in Buenos Aires (capital of Argentina), Montevideo (capital of Uruguay), the south of Brazil and South Africa.[23] |
5 | Pik Severgin[24] | 1933 | ||
4 | Suoh[25] | 1933 | ||
4 | Kuchinoerabu-jima[26] | 1933 | ||
4 | Rabaul Caldera[27] | 1937 | 507 | |
4 | Parícutin[28] | 1943–1952 | One of the youngest volcanoes in the world, besides Surtsey.[citation needed] This volcano grew out of a corn field in Mexico and it was in a Mexican film named Paricutin. Scientists believe that this volcano is extinct even though it erupted once. | |
3 | Mount Vesuvius | 1944 | 20 | Most recent eruption of Mount Vesuvius |
4 | Avachinsky[29] | 1945 | ||
4 | Sarychev Peak[30] | 1946 | ||
4 | Hekla[31] | 1947 | ||
4 | Ambrym[32] | 1950 | ||
4 | Mount Lamington[33] | 1951 | 2,942 | |
4 | Kelud[34] | 1951 | ||
4 | Bagana[35] | 1952 | ||
4 | Mount Spurr[36] | 1953 | ||
4 | Carrán[37] | 1955 | ||
5 | Bezymianny[38] | 1955-1957 | ||
5 | Mount Agung[39] | 1963 | 1,584 | |
4 | Shiveluch[40] | 1964 | ||
4 | Taal Volcano[41] | 1965 | ||
4 | Kelud[42] | 1966 | ||
4 | Mount Awu[43] | 1966 | ||
4 | Fernandina[44] | 1968 | ||
4 | Tyatya[45] | 1973 | ||
4 | Volcán de Fuego[46] | 1974 | ||
4 | Tolbachik[47] | 1975 | ||
4 | Augustine Volcano[48] | 1976 | ||
5 | Mount St. Helens[49] | 1980 | 57 | Most deadly and economically destructive volcanic eruption in the history of the United States. The eruption reached all the way to Montana but killed a small number of people and the blast of the volcano was heard 700 miles away. |
4 | Vulkan Alaid[50] | 1981 | ||
4 | North Pagan[51] | 1981 | ||
5 | El Chichón[52] | 1982 | 3,500 | Ejected 7 million metric tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere.[53] |
4 | Mount Galunggung[54] | 1982 | 18 | Notable for bringing attention to the dangers of volcanic ash on aircraft after two Boeing 747 jets suffered engine failure from its ash cloud. |
4 | Mount Colo[55] | 1983 | ||
3 | Nevado del Ruiz | 1985 | 23,000 | Armero tragedy |
4 | Augustine Volcano[56] | 1986 | ||
4 | Chikurachki[57] | 1986 | ||
4 | Klyuchevskaya Sopka[58] | 1987 | ||
3 | Redoubt Volcano | 1989-1990 | Second costliest volcanic eruption in United States history. Caused engine failure of all four engines on KLM Flight 867 after it flew through the ash cloud. | |
4 | Kelud[59] | 1990 | ||
6 | Mount Pinatubo[60] | 1991 | 847 | Largest stratospheric disturbance since Krakatoa eruption in 1883, dropping global temperatures and increasing ozone depletion. |
5 | Mount Hudson[61] | 1991 | ||
4 | Mount Spurr[62] | 1992 | ||
4 | Láscar[63] | 1993 | ||
4 | Rabaul Caldera[64] | 1994 | ||
4 | Soufriere Hills Volcano | 1997 | 19 | The major volcano eruption caused pyroclastic flows to move at 60-100 MPH and destroyed towns. |
See also[]
- List of large volcanic eruptions in the 21st century
- List of large volcanic eruptions of the 19th century
- List of natural disasters by death toll
- List of volcanic eruptions by death toll
- Lists of volcanoes
References[]
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]
- ^ [6]
- ^ [7]
- ^ [8]
- ^ [9]
- ^ [10]
- ^ [11]
- ^ [12]
- ^ [13]
- ^ [14]
- ^ [15]
- ^ [16]
- ^ [17]
- ^ [18]
- ^ [19]
- ^ [20]
- ^ [21]
- ^ [22]
- ^ Columna de sismología: El Quizapu, la erupción más grande del Chile republicano (in Spanish)
- ^ [23]
- ^ [24]
- ^ [25]
- ^ [26]
- ^ [27]
- ^ [28]
- ^ [29]
- ^ [30]
- ^ [31]
- ^ [32]
- ^ [33]
- ^ [34]
- ^ [35]
- ^ [36]
- ^ [37]
- ^ [38]
- ^ [39]
- ^ [40]
- ^ [41]
- ^ [42]
- ^ [43]
- ^ [44]
- ^ [45]
- ^ [46]
- ^ [47]
- ^ [48]
- ^ [49]
- ^ [50]
- ^ [51]
- ^ Robock, Alan (2002), "Volcanic eruption, El Chichon" (PDF), The Earth system: physical and chemical dimensions of global environment change, John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Chichester, 1: 736
- ^ [52]
- ^ [53]
- ^ [54]
- ^ [55]
- ^ [56]
- ^ [57]
- ^ [58]
- ^ [59]
- ^ [60]
- ^ [61]
- ^ [62]
External links[]
- VEI glossary entry from a USGS website
- How to measure the size of a volcanic eruption, from The Guardian
- The size and frequency of the largest explosive eruptions on Earth, a 2004 article from the Bulletin of Volcanology
- List of Large Holocene Eruptions (VEI > 4) from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program
- VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) from the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Categories:
- 20th-century volcanic events
- Lists of disasters
- 20th century-related lists
- Lists of volcanic eruptions