The ten worst volcanic disasters in human history

Volcanoes have always fascinated humans: they are ticking time bombs that can alter the shape of the world.

The list below shows the most devastating volcanic disasters in recorded human history, ranked according to explosive power, environmental impact and human death tolls.

See also: "Supervolcanoes" predicted to erupt within the next 80 years

See also: Video: Italy's Mount Etna erupts 2016

10. Mount Pinatubo, Philippines (1991): This was the second-largest volcanic explosion in the 20th century, causing magma flows and ash deposits that left 100,000 homeless and 847 dead. The 20 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide that were emitted blew holes in the ozone layer. As a result the world's temperature dropped by a whole degree Farenheit the following year.


9. Lake Ilopango, El Salvador (535-536): This eruption was catastrophic in scale, killing an estimated 30,000 people, permanently displacing the Maya civilisation. The volcanic fallout destroyed crops and livestock for thousands of miles.

8. Huaynaputina, Peru (1600): This was South America's largest eruption in recorded history, killing 1500 people. The wake was worse than the blast, though: earthquakes rattled the region and sulphurous gas disrupted the atmosphere. This is believed to be the main cause of the Great Russian famine which killed one third of the population because the lowered temperatures destroyed crops.

7. Mount Paektu, China and North Korea (946 AD): Injected ash 15 miles into the air and more than 745 miles away. The death count is unknown, but thousands are known to have been killed.

6. Mount Pelee, Martinique (1902): The lead up to this eruption is more disturbing than the eruption itself: the volcano first started quaking, releasing hoardes of poisonous snakes, rats and biting insects, which terrorised the city below. Dozens of deaths occurred from animal bites before the volcano even erupted. The city was then buried in lava and ash, killing around 30,000 people.

5. Mount Vesuvius, Italy: The eruption in 79AD buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash and lava. 16,000 people were killed, with some bodies still being discovered today.

4. Laki, Iceland (1783-84): These eruptions lasted eight months and plagued the northern hemisphere, and for two years, fissures emitted poisonous chemicals into the atmosphere, choking people and livestock. Drastic weather changes occurred worldwide, and triggered famines in Africa and Asia.
A quarter of Iceland's population was killed and it's estimated that the fallout killed around 6 million people.

3. Krakatoa, Indonesia (1883): This explosion completely obliterated the island, with the power of 13,000 Hiroshima bombs. It could be heard for 3000 miles, triggered 150ft high tsunamis, and causing global cooling for several years. Many died from the shock of the blast. The ash deposits More than 35,000 people in the surrounding islands were killed.

2. Thera, Greece (1642-1540): The island is now known as Santorini. This eruption's effects are
ash deposits 100ft thick are still present, and beneath these lie the ancient civilisation of Aquatiri,which is still perfectly preserved. It's believed that this was the inspiration for the Atlantis legends.

1. Mount Tambora, Indonesia: In 1815, this volcano erupted with the power of two million atomic bombs, ten times more powerful than Krakatoa. Most of the world had no summer this year, due to the ash it expelled, causing widespread disease and famine.