Long ago, volcanoes were considered the intrigues of Lucifer, or some kind of Divine punishment that fell on the inhabitants of the Earth. A different opinion about what it is - Mother Nature finds a way to bring us back to reality whenever humanity becomes blind and overwhelmed with pride. But science has provided answers to all questions and dispelled doubts. Volcanoes are nothing more than holes on the Earth's surface that lead directly to a magma reservoir hidden beneath the earth's surface. The word "volcano" originally comes from the name of the Roman God of Fire, Volcano.
Below are the 10 most active volcanoes on our planet.
1. Mauna Loa (Hawaii)
The name "Mauna Loa" in Hawaiian means "long mountains". It covers over 50% of the island's area and is the world's largest active volcano. It has erupted 33 times since 1843, with the last eruption occurring in March-April 1984. Hilo, the largest settlement in Hawaii, is constantly in the zone of catastrophic eruptions. Mauna Loa has been named the Volcano of the Decade, one of sixteen volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Interior Chemistry.
2. Mount Merapi (Indonesia)
Mount Merapi, an active volcano called the Mountain of Fire by the Aboriginal people, has erupted 68 times. It is located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta. Merapi is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is approximately 4,000,000 years old. Many historians believe that it was Mount Merapi that was responsible for the decline of the Hindu Kingdom of Mataram in 1006. The Javanese, especially those belonging to the older generation, believe that the kingdom of spirits is located on Mount Merapi. Every year a Javanese priest goes up to the mountain to make a sacrifice to pacify the spirits of the mountain. The deadly eruptions that took place in 2010 claimed 367 lives.
3. Taal volcano (Philippines)
The Taal volcano was once a colossus that rose above sea level at 5800 m. A series of abundant eruptions led to a decrease in its height. However, Taal should not be underestimated due to its small size. Today the height of the volcano is only about 300 m, but in terms of the number of victims it is recognized as one of the deadliest. One of the devastating eruptions that occurred in 1911 claimed over 1,400 lives. It also earned the bizarre title of being the world's only volcano in a lake that also has a lake inside. Located on Luzon Island, this active Pelean-type volcano has erupted 33 times in lava flows. Taal and its foot are a popular place attracting, first of all, extreme tourists.
4. Mount Vesuvius (Italy)
The volcano Vesuvius, which destroyed the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii, is located in the Gulf of Naples in Italy. The birth of Vesuvius was the result of the collision of two tectonic plates, African and Eurasian. It is the only active volcano on mainland Europe and currently about 6,000,000 people live in its potentially hazardous area. In 1841, the Vesuvian Observatory, a volcano observation center, was founded.
5. Yellowstone Caldera (USA)
The layer of magma that lies beneath Yellowstone National Park is enough to fear superdestruction. The dimensions of the reservoir are simply gigantic - 80 km long and 20 km wide, which is determined by the analysis of data from earthquakes in 2013. On average, the Yellowstone Caldera experiences 1000-2000 earthquakes every year. Scientists at the United States Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (USGS) have not found any concrete evidence of such activity. However, if an eruption does occur, it will wipe out two-thirds of the population in the United States. Researchers at the University of Utah consider it "one of the largest bombs in the world."
6. Sakurajima (Japan)
Sakurajima literally translated from Japanese is the island of cherry blossoms. This stratovolcano has three peaks - kita-dak (northern peak), naka-dak (central peak) and minami-dak (southern peak). The mountain is located in the part of Kagoshima Bay known as Kinkyu-wan. Researchers at the University of Bristol say the volcano is a growing threat on the island of Kyushu. The volcanic eruption in 1914 claimed 60 lives and burned 3,000 houses. The eruption generated pyroclastic currents with temperatures up to 1000 degrees Celsius, which consumed everything in their path.
7. Ulawun (Papua New Guinea)
In 1700, explorer William Dampier discovered the Ulawun volcano, which rose above the surface of the water. Since then, it has erupted in lava flows 22 times and has claimed thousands of lives. The most active volcano in the Bismarck Archipelago in Papua New Guinea, Ulawun is 2334 meters high. It is commonly known as the Father Volcano, as it is the largest of all neighboring volcanoes. Ulavun is also included in the list of the Decade volcanoes.
8. Galeras (Colombia)
The most frequently active volcano is Galeras, a mountain in Colombia. In 1993, its eruption killed a group of tourists and scientists exploring the crater. Numerous tremors were felt during the 2002 eruption, and 9,400 people were evacuated in November 2005 due to the eruption. There were 10 strong eruptions in total, the last in 2010.
9. Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Located in Virunga National Park, Mount Nyiragongo is overlapped by two old volcanoes, Baratu and Shaeru. Its danger is known throughout Africa, since the volcano burst out with lava flows 34 times. The 2002 eruption burned hundreds of people and about 400,000 were evacuated. At the foot of the mountain is the city of Goma, whose inhabitants are in mortal danger. Mount Niyragongo is called the lighthouse of the Mediterranean Sea as it has undergone continuous explosions of lava.
10. Eyjafjallajökull (Iceland)
Iceland is the richest place in the world with volcanoes, and Eyjafjallajökull is the most famous among them. This volcano is completely covered with an ice cap. It last erupted in lava in 2010 and disrupted the schedule and route of air transport for several months, which has not happened since the Second World War. But scientists also found a positive moment in this eruption. Iron levels in ocean water have increased, helping to preserve several life forms. Katla, another glacial volcano 25 kilometers from Eyjafjallajökull, often erupts in the wake of the latter.
