Top 5 Volcanic Eruptions Since 1700

Tambora

10 April 1815
Volcanic Explosivity Index:7

The largest eruption in modern history, Tambora cast a cloud of ash around the world, which caused 1816 to be the “year without a summer”. A foot of snow fell in Quebec City in June of that year.

Krakatoa

27 August 1883
VEI:6

The eruption of Krakatoa caused a tsunami 150 feet high, and the explosion was heard 3000 miles away.

Novarupta

6 June 1912
VEI:6

The largest eruption of the 20th Century took place on the Alaska Peninsula. Novarupta threw out 30 times more material than Mt St Helens, and ash rained down on Kodiak Island for three days reaching over a foot in depth.

Pinatubo

15 June 1991
VEI:6

It had been 500 years since Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines. The thousands of earthquakes & minor eruptions in April & May of 1991 led to the evacuation of 66,000 people from the island of Luzon. 850 people were killed in the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, while 92,000 people were estimated to have died in the eruption of Tambora.

Santa Maria

24 October 1902
VEI:6

The smallest of our VEI 6 eruptions took place on the Guatemala coast. It was the first eruption recorded in the mountain’s history, sending ash as far away as San Francisco.