Pasty lavas and highly energized gases ruined fifteen towns and killed 4000 inhabitants. The
ashes that descended on Naples were estimated to be a foot thick.
Mt. Krakatau
The greatest volcanic explosion known to men is perhaps that of Mt. Krakatau in
Aug.1883.Krakatau is a small volcanic island in the Sunda straits, midway between Java and
Sumatra. The explosion could be heard in Australia, almost 3000 miles away. Though
Krakatau itself was not inhabited, and nobody was killed in the lava flows.
Mt.Pelee
The eruption of Mt. Pelee of the West Indies in May 1902was the most catastrophic of the
modern times. St Pierre, the capital of Martinique, lying on the path of the lava, was
completely destroyed in minutes. In entire population of 30000,except two of them was
killed almost instantly.
Distribution of volcanoes in the world
The greatest concentration of volcanoes are in the Circum-Pacific region, popularly termed
as the Pacific ring of Fire, which has been estimated to include two-third of the world
volcanoes. The chain of volcanoes extends for about 2000 miles from the Aleutian Island
into Kamchatka, Japan, The Philippines and Indonesia, southward into the Pacific Islands. On
the other side of the Pacific, the chain continues from The Andes to Central America, Mexico
and Alaska. In contrast, the Atlantic coast have comparatively few active volcanoes but
many dormant or extinct volcanoes. Volcanoes of the Mediterranean region are mainly
associated with the Alpine Folds. In Africa some volcanoes are found along the East African
Rift Valley. There are some volcanic cones in Madagascar, but active eruptions has not been
known so far. The West Indian Islands have experienced some violent explosions recent
times.
Geysers and Hot Springs
Geysers are fountains of hot water and superheated steam that may spout upto a height of
150 feet from the earth beneath. The phenomenon are associated with a thermal or
volcanic region in which the water below is being heated beyond boiling point(100 degree
Celsius).Almost all the Geysers are confined to three major areas: Iceland, the Rotorua
district of North Islands, New Zealand and Yellowstone Park of U.S.A. The worlds best known
geyser is perhaps ’Old Faithful’ in Yellowstone National Park.
Hot springs or thermal springs are more common and may be found in any part of the
earth where water sinks deep enough beneath the surfaces to be heated by the interior
forces.
ashes that descended on Naples were estimated to be a foot thick.
Mt. Krakatau
The greatest volcanic explosion known to men is perhaps that of Mt. Krakatau in
Aug.1883.Krakatau is a small volcanic island in the Sunda straits, midway between Java and
Sumatra. The explosion could be heard in Australia, almost 3000 miles away. Though
Krakatau itself was not inhabited, and nobody was killed in the lava flows.
Mt.Pelee
The eruption of Mt. Pelee of the West Indies in May 1902was the most catastrophic of the
modern times. St Pierre, the capital of Martinique, lying on the path of the lava, was
completely destroyed in minutes. In entire population of 30000,except two of them was
killed almost instantly.
Distribution of volcanoes in the world
The greatest concentration of volcanoes are in the Circum-Pacific region, popularly termed
as the Pacific ring of Fire, which has been estimated to include two-third of the world
volcanoes. The chain of volcanoes extends for about 2000 miles from the Aleutian Island
into Kamchatka, Japan, The Philippines and Indonesia, southward into the Pacific Islands. On
the other side of the Pacific, the chain continues from The Andes to Central America, Mexico
and Alaska. In contrast, the Atlantic coast have comparatively few active volcanoes but
many dormant or extinct volcanoes. Volcanoes of the Mediterranean region are mainly
associated with the Alpine Folds. In Africa some volcanoes are found along the East African
Rift Valley. There are some volcanic cones in Madagascar, but active eruptions has not been
known so far. The West Indian Islands have experienced some violent explosions recent
times.
Geysers and Hot Springs
Geysers are fountains of hot water and superheated steam that may spout upto a height of
150 feet from the earth beneath. The phenomenon are associated with a thermal or
volcanic region in which the water below is being heated beyond boiling point(100 degree
Celsius).Almost all the Geysers are confined to three major areas: Iceland, the Rotorua
district of North Islands, New Zealand and Yellowstone Park of U.S.A. The worlds best known
geyser is perhaps ’Old Faithful’ in Yellowstone National Park.
Hot springs or thermal springs are more common and may be found in any part of the
earth where water sinks deep enough beneath the surfaces to be heated by the interior
forces.
