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The World’s Worst Volcanic Eruptions
As Measured by Death Toll
This list of the world’s worst volcanic eruptions includes only those whose death toll can be reasonably documented. The death toll from some of the worst eruptions in history can only be guessed. The eruption of Santorini in Greece in 1650 BC destroyed competely destroyed entire civilizations. Scientist also theorize that an eruption of Tuba around 75,000 years ago caused a volcanic winter that came close to wiping out mankind.
1.
Mt. Tambora, Indonesia
April 10 - 15, 1816
Death Toll: 92,000
The eruption of Tambora killed an estimated 92,000 people, including 10,000 from explosion and ash fall, and 82,000 from other related causes.
The concussion from the explosion was felt as far as a thousand miles away. Mt. Tambora, which was more than 13,000 feet tall before the explosion was reduced to 9,000 feet after ejecting more than 93 cubic miles of debris into the atmosphere.
The effects of the eruption were felt worldwide: 1816 became known as the “year without a summer” because of the volcanic ash in the atmosphere that lowered worldwide temperatures. It snowed in New England that June, and crop failures were common throughout Northern Europe and North America. As many as 100,000 additional deaths from starvation in these areas are thought to be traced to the eruption.
2.
Mt. Pelee, West Indies
April 25 - May 8, 1902
Death Toll: 40,000
Thought to be dormant, Mt. Pelee began a series of eruptions on April 25, 1902. The primary eruption, on May 8 completely destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing 25,000. The only survivors were a man held in a prison cell, and a man who lived on the outskirts of the town. Several ships also were destroyed with all hands.
3.
Mt. Krakatoa, Indonesia
August 26 - 28, 1883
Death Toll: 36,000
The August 1883 of Mt. Krakatoa (Krakatua) destroyed 2/3 of the island, ejecting more than six cubic miles of debris into the atmosphere. The sound of the explosion was the loudest ever documented, and was heard as far away as Australia.
Interestingly, it’s probable that no one died in the initial explosion. The casualties all came from the resulting tsunami.
4.
Nevado del Ruiz, Columbia
November 13, 1985
Death Toll: 23,000
A small eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano melted part of the volcano’s ice cap, creating an enormous mudslide that buried the city of Armero, killing 23,000.
5.
Mt. Unzen, Japan
1792
Death Toll: 12,000 - 15,000
The eruption of Mt. Unzen was followed by an earthquake, which collapsed the east flank of the dome. The resulting avalance created a tsuanami which killed 12,000 to 15,000 in nearby towns.
6.
Mt. Vesuvius, Italy
April 24, AD 79
Death Toll: 10,000+
In one of the most famous eruptions of all time, Mt. Vesuvius erupted and completely destroyed the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The eruption, which is said to have lasted 19 hours, buried Pompeii in ten feet of volcanic ash. The intense heat—perhaps as much as 750 degrees—carbonized much of the organic material in the area. Many of the victims have been found with the tops of their heads missing—their brains having boiled and exploded.
7.
The Laki Volcanic System, Iceland
June 8, 1783 - February 1784
Death Toll: 9350
Nearly a year of constant eruptions created a dusty volcanic haze that created massive food shortages. Iceland suffered 9,350 deaths mostly due to starvation.
8.
Mt. Vesuvius, Italy
December 1631
Death Toll: 6,000
The notorious Mt. Vesuvius has erupted more than a dozen times since it destroyed the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The 1631 eruption killed as many as 6,000 people when lava flows consumed many of the surrounding towns. Boiling water ejected from the volcanos added to the destruction.
9.
Mt. Kelut, Indonesia
May 19, 1919
Death Toll: 5,110
Most of the casualties apparently were the result of mudslides.
10.
Mt. Galunggung, Java, Indonesia
1882
Death Toll: 4,011

Massive explosive eruptions

Eruptions with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8 (VEI-8) are colossal events that throw out at least 1,000 km³ Dense Rock Equivalent (DRE) of ejecta; VEI-7 events eject at least 100 km³ (DRE).
VEI-7 or 8 eruptions are so powerful that they often form circular calderas rather than cones because the downward withdrawal of magma causes the overlying mass to collapse and fill the void magma chamber beneath.
One of the classic calderas is at Glen Coe in the Grampian Mountains of Scotland. First described by Clough et al. (1909)^[5] its geology and volcanic succession has recently been re-analysed in the light of new discoveries.^[6] There is an accompanying 1:25000 solid geology map.
By way of comparison, the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption was at the lower end of VEI-5 with 1.2 km³, and both Mount Pinatubo in 1991 and Krakatoa in 1883 were VEI-6 with 25 km³.

[edit] Known super eruptions

Estimates of the volume of ejected material are given in parentheses.

[edit] VEI 8

VEI 8 eruptions have happened in the following locations.

• Lake Taupo, Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - Oruanui eruption ~26,500 years ago (~1,170 km³)
• Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia - ~74,000 years ago (~2,800 km³)
• Whakamaru, Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - Whakamaru Ignimbrite/Mount Curl Tephra ~254,000 years ago (1,200-2,000 km³)^[7]
• Yellowstone Caldera, Lava Creek Tuff, Wyoming, United States, Yellowstone hotspot - 640,000 years ago (1,000 km³)^[8]
• Island Park Caldera, Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, Idaho/Wyoming, United States, Yellowstone hotspot - 2.1 million years ago (2,500 km³)^[8]
• Cerro Galan, Catamarca Province, Argentina - 2.5 million years ago (1,050 km³)
• Atana Ignimbrite, Pacana Caldera, northern Chile - 4 million years ago (2,500 km³)^[9]
• Heise volcanic field, Kilgore Tuff, Idaho, United States, Yellowstone hotspot - 4.5 million years ago (1,800 km³).^[10]
• Heise volcanic field, Blacktail Tuff, Idaho, United States, Yellowstone hotspot - 6.6 million years ago (1,500 km³).^[10]
• La Garita Caldera, Colorado, United States - Source of the truly enormous eruption of the Fish Canyon Tuff ~27.8 million years ago (~5,000 km³)
• Sam Ignimbrite, Yemen - 29.5 million years ago (at least 5,550 km³)^[11]
• Glen Coe, Highlands, Scotland ~420 million years ago

The Lake Toba eruption plunged the Earth into a volcanic winter, eradicating an estimated 60%^{[12][13][14][15][16]} of the human population (although humans managed to survive, even in the vicinity of the volcano^[17]). However the coincidental agreement in above sources about percentage value of extinction is contrary to differing estimates of human population size at that time.

[edit] VEI 7

VEI-7 volcanic events, less colossal but still supermassive, have occurred in the geological past. The only ones in historic times are Tambora, in 1815, Lake Taupo (Hatepe), around 180 AD,^[18] and possibly Baekdu Mountain, 969 CE (± 20 years).^[19]

• Tambora, Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia - 1815 (160 km³), the following year 1816 became known as the "Year Without a Summer"
• Baekdu Mountain, China/North Korea - ~969 CE (96±19 km³)
• Lake Taupo, Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - Hatepe eruption ~181 CE (120 km³)^[18]
• Kikai Caldera, Ryukyu Islands, Japan - ~6,300 years ago (~ 4,300 BCE) (150 km³)
• Macauley Island, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand - ~6,300 years ago (~ 4,300 BCE) (100 km³)^[20][21]
• Aira Caldera, Kyūshū, Japan - ~22,000 years ago (~110 km³)
• Rotoiti Ignimbrite, Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - ~50,000 years ago (~240 km³)^[22]
• Campi Flegrei, Naples, Italy - 39,280 ± 110 years ago (500 km³)
• Aso, Kyūshū, Japan - four large explosive eruptions between 300,000 to 80,000 years ago (last one > 600 km³)
• Reporoa Caldera, Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - 230,000 years ago (~100 km³)
• Mamaku Ignimbrite, Rotorua Caldera,Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - 240,000 years ago (>280 km³)^[23]
• Matahina Ignimbrite, Haroharo Caldera, Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - 280,000 years ago (~120 km³)^[24]
• Long Valley Caldera, Bishop Tuff, California, United States - ~760,000 years ago (600 km³)
• Valles Caldera, New Mexico, United States - ~1.15 million years ago (~600 km³)^[25]
• Mangakino, Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand - three eruptions from 0.97 to 1.23 million years ago (each > 300 km³)^[26]
• Henry's Fork Caldera, Mesa Falls Tuff, Idaho, United States, Yellowstone hotspot - 1.3 million years ago (280 km³)^[8]
• Pastos Grandes Ignimbrite, Pastos Grandes Caldera, 2.9 million years ago (>820 km³)^[27]
• Heise volcanic field, Walcott Tuff, Idaho, United States, Yellowstone hotspot - 6.4 million years ago (750 km³).^[10]
• Bruneau-Jarbidge, Idaho, United States, Yellowstone hotspot - ~10-12 million years ago (>250 km³) (responsible for the Ashfall Fossil Beds ~1,600 km to the east^[28])
• Bennett Lake Volcanic Complex, British Columbia/Yukon, Canada - ~50 million years ago (850 km³)

National Geographic