Active volcanoes are those that have been constantly erupting over several decades. There would not be much surprise to know that some of the active volcanoes across the world have been erupting for thousands of years. Today, there are nearly 1,500 active volcanoes and an average of 50-70 volcanoes erupt every year. If you want to witness this nature’s fury at least once in your lifetime, check out these places where active volcanoes frequently erupt and can be easily observed.
Mount Etna, Catania, Italy
Thousands of people sleep near this beautiful mountain while they know they are sleeping at their own risk as this could anytime lead to a volcano eruption. Sitting on a volcano seat can lead to great destruction and devastation of areas. These dangerous volatile ruptures can anytime spit out lava to enter towns and cities where it may cause people to lose their lives or go homeless. Rising to a height of about 3,329 meters, Mt. Etna had one of its largest eruptions in the year 1669 when lava destroyed various structures in the Catania city. A comparatively minor but the most significant blast took place here in 2011.
Sakurajima, Kagoshima, Japan
The volcano called Sakurajima is a danger to about 680,000 people living in the city of Kagoshima. Since 1955, there have been continuous small explosions observed at this place. But, this is a sign to a possible bigger eruption any time. It must be really scary for the residents to live under this continued fear. The most violent eruption that this city has faced was in 1914 when the lava flow itself lasted for months. Thus, the Japanese government has created shelters for people should they need to take refuge.
Mauna Loa, Hilo, Hawaii
In terms of volume, Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on this earth. Though its last eruption took place in 1984, there are prediction that it will soon erupt again. But, 43,000 people of Hilo are unprepared for this danger. The city is in high danger should any eruption take place as it is built on the old lava flows. In case of any new eruption, the molten lava would easily reach this city.
Mount Nyiragongo, Goma, Congo
This active volcano is about 20 km away from the city of Goma and is based inside the Virunga National Park. The deadly Mount Nyiragongo volcano has been erupting constantly since 1882. Its 1977 eruption has caused a huge damage to the human life and property. At least 70 people were killed and several villages fully destructed due to its molten lava rocks that were highly fluid in nature. In 2002, some 400,000 people had to be evacuated from this city as lava streams sped down the mountain and destroyed nearly 4,500 structures. Now, since another lava lake has been in the process of formation, this volcano is being closely monitored.
Galeras, Pasto, Colombia
This is the most active volcano in the country that is located just 9 km away from Pasto city. The ash from this volcano has many-a-times spread through this city whenever Galeras erupted. There are about 450,000 people living in this city who always need to remain alert about any eruption. In 2005, they were made to wear protective goggles and masks after Galeras’ eruption. But, it is not limited to this city as eruptions could cause damage to other nearby places as well.
Mount Pelée, St. Pierre, the Caribbean
The worst volcanic disaster of the last century took place when Mount Pelée erupted and its 1,075-degree Celsius lava flows moved down the mountains destroying everything in their path. Hardly any inhabitant of the city would have been spared as the whole place was turned into a graveyard within minutes. The mountain was so badly blown that only a very small population occupied this area long after the eruption took place.
Mount Rainier, Seattle, USA
Though this volcano is silent at the moment, there came out a massive lump and volcanic mudflow when it erupted some 5,000 years ago. The cities surrounding this volcano are so greatly developed today that a possible eruption could engulf a lot of towns around it and cause huge damage. It could get to become a catastrophic event for the residents of Seattle or other nearby areas and preventive relocation measures are very much required at these places.
Mount Unzen, Shimabara, Japan
Do you think a volcano can only kill by its lava flows, lahars or pyroclastic surges? Then, you should check out about Mount Unzen whose single flank collapsed in 1792, causing a landslide leading to tsunami that killed about 15,000 people! This is considered to be the worst ever volcanic disaster in the country. In 1991 too, its eruption caused the death of at least 43 people. The risk has been persistent, and warning and evacuation plans for this area have been designed and readied.