The Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions



Volcano
Year
Deaths
Major cause of deaths
Tambora, Indonesia
1815
92,000
Starvation
Krakatau, Indonesia
1883
36,417
Tsunami
Mount Pelee, Martinique
1902
29,025
Ash flows
Ruiz, Colombia
1985
25,000
Mudflows
Unzen, Japan
1792
14,300
Volcano collapse, tsunami
Laki, Iceland
1783
9,350
Starvation
Kelut, Indonesia
1919
5,110
Mudflows
Galunggung, Indonesia
1882
4,011
Mudflows
Vesuvius, Italy
1631
3,500
Mudflows, lava flows
Vesuvius, Italy
79
3,360
Ash flows and falls
Papandayan, Indonesia
1772
2,957
Ash flows
Lamington, Papua New Guinea
1951
2,942
Ash flows
El Chichon, Mexico
1982
2,000
Ash flows
Soufriere, St. Vincent
1902
1,680
Ash flows
Oshima, Japan
1741
1,475
Tsunami
Asama, Japan
1783
1,377
Ash flows, mudflows
Taal, Philippines
1911
1,335
Ash flows
Mayon, Philippines
1814
1,200
Mudflows
Agung, Indonesia
1963
1,184
Ash flows
Cotopaxi, Ecuador
1877
1,000
Mudflows
Pinatubo, Philippines
1991
800
Disease
Komagatake, Japan
1640
700
Tsunami
Ruiz, Colombia
1845
700
Mudflows
Hibok-Hibok, Philippines
1951
500
Ash flows

NOTE: All eruptions with more than 500 known human fatalities. Based on data in Volcanic Hazards: A Sourcebook on the Effects of Eruptions by Russell J. Blong (Academic Press, 1984).

Source: Volcano World, University of North Dakota (http://volcano.und.nodak.edu ).



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