[JSR] The Causes and Damages of Volcanoes

Pompeii was destroyed and people and animals alike were buried due to the eruption of Mt.Vesuvius - a tell tale sign that something like it can happen again. [Source: Associated Press, Cesare Abbate/ANSA]

Mt. Baekdu, pictured above, is said to be boiling and has the possibility of a massive eruption. [Source: Associated Press, David Guttenfelder]

There are a lot of volcanoes on Earth. People do not think much of them but people have to think carefully about volcanoes and their damages. Have you heard the names of Mt. Vesuvius and Gunung Tambora? These two volcanoes are two of the most famous destructive volcanoes on Earth. How much damage did the volcanoes do to people?

Yoseop Kim, Grade 9 Crescenta Valley High School

There was once a very wealthy and well-known city called Pompeii. In A.D.79, Mountain Vesuvius erupted and destroyed many buildings and took the lives of those who lived in Pompeii. After the volcano erupted, Pompeii was covered in ash and lava. The people of Pompeii were unaware and could not avoid the lava in time and were buried. So prosperous Pompeii disappeared in a day and is left behind as a tragic event in history.

In 1815, Mountain Gunung Tambora erupted in the northern part of Sumbawa in Indonesia. According to the record, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles heard a very loud sound 1000 kilometers away from Mt. Gunung Tambora. The Gunung Tambora volcano killed sixty thousand to one hundred twenty thousand people. According to the mercy-finding mission of a rescue team, many people suffered with melted legs, rotten skin, measles, diarrhea, respiratory illness. The volcano’s ash blocked the sunlight and the cold atmosphere from sulfur dioxide and caused crops to frost and many animals to starve to death.

There are still many active volcanoes in the world. The most representative volcano is Kilauea, a volcano that has been active for the past five hundred years. Although this volcano has not erupted in a long time, there are still small eruptions that often occur.

There is also a volcano that has recently started its activity again like Mountain Baekdu of the Korean Peninsula. According to scientists and geologists, Mt. Baekdu increased the rate of possible explosion and many people are concerned. If ever Mt. Baekdu erupts, the effects are going to be 1000 times worse than the 2010 Icelandic volcanic eruption which caused roughly one trillion dollars in damage.

Checking active volcanoes for signs of eruption can be difficult. Some of the signs that precede volcanic eruptions include seismic activity, gas ejection, history of volcanic activity, and deformation of the earth. But, we can all prepare for a volcano eruption by carefully carrying out simple steps.

Before a volcano eruption, we have to prepare items such as flashlights, clothes, eye protection equipment, water, and masks. If in the heat of an eruption, another step is to stay indoors and tape the doors shut to prevent the ash of the volcano from seeping through. Also, check evacuation shelters, listen to evacuation tips to use wireless radios and evacuate to a high place if possible. Most importantly, try to find other people and help each other out.