Published 16:56 IST, August 26th 2020
Krakatoa Volcano erupted on this day in 1883; read about the deadliest eruption in history
Krakatoa Volcano eruption caused atmospheric pressure disturbances that caused sea level disturbances. More than 36,000 people were killed.
On August 26, 1883, Indonesia’s Krakatoa volcano erupted in one of the deadliest eruptions in history. A 30m tsunami in the Sunda Strait washed 165 coastal villages on Java and Sumatra after hot lava collapsed into the caldera below sea level. The eruption caused atmospheric pressure disturbance that caused sea level turbulence. More than 36,000 people were killed. Thousands were wounded from the thermal injuries due to the blasts, as per reports. World’s deadliest volcanic disasters altered the global climate as countries worldwide witnessed temperatures suddenly dip. The cataclysmic event caused the halo effects around the moon and sun as per NASA and the Bureau of Meteorology's 2017 report.
[Credit: Earth.esa.int]
The ash drifted around the globe, causing halo effects around the moon and sun—NASA said in a report.
[A lithograph depicts the eruption of Krakatau in 1883. Credit: NASA.]
[News about the eruption and its tsunamis. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.]
What happened?
Main island called Rakata is located in one of the most volatile areas in the world. The second-largest most active volcanic region in the world, Krakatoa, is situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire. Volcano was 90 m above sea level and was dormant between May and August of 1883. However, according to the University of Guelph’s release, due to high-pressure in the tectonic plates, the volcano cracked open that led the water to enter and mix into the magma cavity. The extremely heated steam resulted in intense pressure causing eruptions that destroyed the island completely.
The Krakatau eruption spawned a pyroclastic flow. This phenomenon destroys nearly everything in its path—NASA.
Effects of the eruptions
A rainfall of volcanic lava and hot ash was witnessed coupled with powerful blast waves that broke windows and cracked walls up to 160km away (Carayannis, 2001). Further, the University of Guelph report said, "giant dust cloud that formed and spread caused darkness in areas more than a 400km radius around the blast.”Darkness was witnessed from the time of eruption till the 28th of August across the Sunda Straits. Pumice from the eruption blocked water navigation around the surrounding Indonesian islands. “Some large pumice rocks were found afloat two years after the eruption near Melanesia,” as per the release.
[Anak Krakatau in Indonesia. Credit: Twitter/ MAGMA.]
[Krakatoa Volcano before and after its latest eruption in December 2018. Credit: Earth.esa.int]
Impact around the globe and in space
Volcanic ash and debris impacted ships in Madagascar, Singapore, and Cocos Islands, located at 1000 km from the site. Further, as per NASA, the sun appeared to be blue and green weeks after the explosion as ash blanketed an area of 300,000 square miles (800,000 square kilometers).
Additionally, the loudest sound ever recorded in modern history heard across more than 10% of Earth’s surface. Island of Australia and the island of Mauritius, reported gunshot-like sound at more than 2,800 miles (4,600 kilometers) from the erupting volcano. Extensive pressure waves were recorded in the UK as well as in America. According to NASA, the entire island collapsed under the sea into the magma chamber.
A series of Tsunami was triggered in Hawaii and South America, 135 feet (41 meters) high, that destroyed 165 homes, vegetation, water demolishing all homes and structures sweeping thousands of people in Java and Sumatra. Vivid red sunsets started appearing worldwide three months, as 'Bishops Ring’, corona around sun, and the moon was seen that inspired Edvard Munch’s popular painting The Scream.
[The sunset in the painting The Scream. Credit: University of Guelph]
Updated 16:55 IST, August 26th 2020