The 10 Most Active Volcanoes That Have Already Exploded

There are still more active volcanoes in the world and this is something we cannot ignore. There are such huge explosions that people are amazed. Before moving on to volcanic eruptions, let's briefly talk about how volcanic eruptions occur.

Pressure builds up inside the magma chamber until it reaches a critical point at which time it explodes outwards.

A small amount of gas escapes from the magma chamber through cracks that form in the crust.

As the pressure drops, the gas expands and pushes against the surrounding rock causing it to expand too.

When enough pressure has built up, the rock breaks away and falls into the crater below.

This causes a series of explosions that send ash high into the atmosphere.

The ash eventually cools and falls back down to earth where it forms volcanic mudflows.

1. Mount St. Helens (USA) - 1980 eruption

Mount St. Helens was located in Washington state, USA. On May 18th 1980, at about 2:30 am, the volcano erupted violently sending ash and rock into the atmosphere that spread over much of the surrounding area.

2. Mount Pinatubo (Philippines) - 1991 Eruption

On June 15th 1991, Mount Pinatubo erupted, sending out a huge cloud of ash and smoke. The explosion occurred at 10:15 am local time. The eruption sent a large amount of debris into the air and forced thousands of people from their homes. Many volcanologists believed that this event could have been the beginning of the end for the world’s largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam.

3. Krakatoa (Indonesia) - 1883 eruption

Krakatoa was a volcano that erupted in Indonesia in 1883. This volcanic eruption was the largest recorded in modern history. The eruption spread ash over a vast area, blocking out sunlight from reaching the surface of the Earth. The resulting global cooling led to widespread famine and disease.

The eruption lasted for three months and produced a series of explosions that could be heard around the world. These explosions were so powerful that they were felt hundreds of miles away.

The eruption killed approximately 36,000 people and caused damage worth $500 million.

4. El Chichon (Mexico) - 1982 eruption

The largest volcanic eruption in recorded history occurred at the El Chichon volcano in Mexico in 1982. This event was responsible for the deaths of over 5,000 people and caused massive damage to the surrounding areas. The eruption lasted from March 16th until April 4th, 1982. The eruption began with a series of explosions that sent ash and rock into the atmosphere, causing the sky to turn dark. Ash fell downwind as far away as Texas and California, covering crops and livestock in dust.

5. Soufrière Hills (Montserrat) - 1995 eruption

Soufrière Hills is an active stratovolcano in the Caribbean island of Montserrat. It is the youngest and most active volcano in the Lesser Antilles, and began erupting in 1995.

6. Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia) - 1985 eruption

The Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted on April 16th, 1985, killing over 30,000 people and leaving thousands missing.

7. Rabaul (New Britain) - 1994 eruption

This volcano erupted in 1994. In this image, the volcano is seen erupting from its crater lake. At the time of the eruption, the island had a population of about 8,000 people.

8. Tungurahua (Ecuador) - 2010 eruption

This video shows how the Tungurahua volcano erupted on June 1st, 2010. This was the first time that this volcano has ever erupted since its discovery in 1736. A large amount of ash was ejected from the crater, turning the sky dark gray. The ash cloud reached heights of 10 km above sea level.

The Tungurahua Volcano is located in Ecuador, South America. It is named after the indigenous people who used to live near the volcano before they were forced out due to death and destruction caused by eruptions. They called the volcano Chachagua, meaning 'thunderbird' in their language.

9. Novarupta (Alaska) - 1912 eruption

The Novarupta eruption of 1912 was the largest eruption by volume in the 20th century. It occurred on the Alaska Peninsula in June 1912, near the Novarupta Volcano and about 60 km (37 mi) southwest of what is now the city of Kodiak. Novarupta's eruption column rose at least 20 km (12 mi) into the atmosphere, and the resulting ashfall blanketed an area of more than 2,000 km2 (770 sq mi) to a depth of more than 60 cm (24 in). The eruption resulted in the formation of Novarupta, a 1.2 km3 (0.29 cu mi) pyroclastic dome, and the creation of the valley of the Katmai River.

The eruption column from Novarupta deposited an estimated 5.2 km3 (1.3 cu mi) of tephra over an area of 2,100 km2 (810 sq mi). The resulting ashfall blanketed an area of more than 2,000 km2 (770 sq mi) to a depth of more than 60 cm (24 in). The eruption resulted in the formation of Novarupta, a 1.2 km3 (0.29 cu mi) pyroclastic dome, and the creation of the valley of the Katmai River.

10. Popocatepetl (Mexico) - 1968 eruption

Popocatepetl volcano (Spanish: Volcán Popocatépetl; Nahuatl: Tlahuizcalpōcatl), sometimes referred to as Popo, is a stratovolcano located in the Mexican state of Puebla. Its name means "Smoking Mountain", referring to its characteristic smoke plume.

The volcano was first observed in 1848 by the Spanish priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. In 1849, it erupted violently, killing about 1,000 people. A second major eruption occurred in 1861.

On May 20, 1968, the volcano erupted again, this time with much greater force than before. The eruption lasted until June 2, and killed over 200 people.