volcanoes

• pyroclastic flows

  • buries, burns anything in its path
  • Mt Vesuvius 79AD buried city and citizens, burnt people alive
  • Mt Pelee 1902 demolished coastal city of St Pierre, killing nearly 30,000 inhabitants
• tephra

  • volcanic rock fragments ejected into air
  • causes health issues - respiratory, skin and eye irritations, contaminate water supplies
  • Mt Pelee 1902 residents found breathing increasingly uncomfortable, sore eyes and throats
• lava flows

  • can bury homes and land, destruction of vegetation, deterioration of water quality
  • La Palma 2021 over 1000 homes lost, suffocated banana plantations that drive the island's economy
• volcanic gases

  • exposure to acid gases can damage eyes, skin and respiratory system
  • Iceland 2014, Hofn village experienced gas conditions exceeding the concentration considered to be hazardous to health
• lahars

  • bury almost anything in their path, risk of death from crush injuries (can carry boulders, cars), drowning, destruction of buildings and vegetation
  • Mt Pinatubo 1991 lahars caused more disruption in the lowlands than the eruption itself, destroyed homes of over 100,000
• jokulhlaups

  • glacier outburst flood - sudden discharge of large amount of water
  • Iceland 2010 - explosive interaction between hot magma and cold glacial melt water, towns had to be evacuated
• Iceland 2010

  Impacts

  • No deaths
  • 10 million travellers disrupted
  • Homes and roads damaged, crops destroyed by ash
  • Ash cloud severely disrupted European airspace - airlines lost around £130 million a day due to airport closures and travel restrictions
  • Fresh food imports stopped, industries were affected by a lack of imported raw materials
  • Caused flooding as a glacier melted
  • Kenya was heavily affected as flowers and vegetables were left rotting at airports - accounted for 20% of their economy
• Iceland 2010

  V

  • Major problem was the ash rather than lava, ash plume reached height of 11,000m
  • Weather conditions made the effects of the ash much worse with lots of strong winds

  R

  • Area around the volcano was evacuated
  • European Red Cross mobilised volunteers, staff and resources to help affected people
  • European Red Cross provided food for the farming population living in the vicinity of the glacier, as well as counselling and psychosocial support, particularly for traumatised children