Would you live near a volcano? Would you trust that in your lifetime the volcano would not erupt and cause massive destruction with its burning-hot lava and aftereffects, such as thick smoke that plague the sky? In this article, you will learn more about volcanoes and cyclones, as well as the most dangerous feature of a volcano.
Volcanoes
A volcano is an opening in the Earth’s crust where magma from the mantle makes contact with the surface. At times, it will slowly dribble out, while other times, the eruption is explosive and violent. When magma from under the volcano comes to the surface, it is called lava.
All over the world, thousands of volcanoes have been identified. There is a volcano on every continent and even some found on the ocean floor. However, some volcanoes have earned more recognition than others. The most infamous of volcanoes include Mount Etna in Sicily, Mount Vesuvius in Italy, Mount Merapi in Indonesia, Sakurajima in Japan, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, Mount Rainier in Washington (United States), and Mount Erebus in Antarctica.
If you are in the midst of a volcano that is experiencing pyroclastic flows, then you are in a great deal of danger. These type of flows are the most dangerous of all volcanic hazards. They are mixed with gas and rock that make their way down the volcano and travel away from it. The temperatures associated with the volcano can reach up to 1,830 degrees with speeds of up to 450 mph. To get an idea of the destruction that a pyroclastic flow can cause is seen in the 30,000 death toll that took place in 1902 at Mount Pelee of Saint-Pierre.
More people have been killed by pyroclastic flow than any other type of volcano flow.
Cyclone
A cyclone is characterized by spiraling winds that travel inward and rotate counter clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. The type of surface involved in a cyclone can determine the intensity and features. For experience, hot climate conditions can lead to a tropical cyclone. Earth is not the only planet to experience cyclones, as some have been detected to occur on Mars and Neptune.
The honors for most damage caused by a cyclone goes to Hurricane Katrina, which swept through the coast of Louisiana and surrounding states in August of 2005. The damage associated with the hurricane was estimated as high as $156 billion. There are still some people trying to recover from the aftermath of the hurricane. At least 1,836 people died as a consequence of the hurricane and the floods that followed. Katrina was rated a category 5 hurricane and was deemed the sixth strongest hurricane to occur in the Atlantic on record. To date, it is seen as the costliest natural disaster ever.