There are several types of natural disasters including hurricanes, volcanos, tsunamis and more. They are severe disasters caused natural things, which can lead to loss of life. One very famous volcanic disaster was Mount Vesuvius’s sudden eruption in Pompeii, Italy, which killed over 15,000 people and destroyed 20,000 buildings. Architects are still finding bodies and skulls covered in sand along beaches and stranded under homes in Italy. I was particularly interested in this so I am going to focus on volcanoes.
How do volcanoes work?
A volcano is a mountain that opens downwards to a pool of molten rock below the surface of the Earth. When pressure builds up, eruptions occur. Gases and rock shoot up through the opening and spill over or fill the air with lava fragments. Eruptions can cause blasts, lava flows, hot ash flows, mudslides, avalanches, falling ash and floods. Volcanic eruptions have been known to knock down entire forests so they are known to be very powerful and can knock down 50 piled buses in 5 seconds. An erupting volcano can trigger tsunamis, flash floods, earthquakes and mudflows, which all can lead to an extremely painful death.
(Here is a video about volcanoes. Don’t worry, this will not send you to sleep.) http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/101-videos/volcanoes-101
How are volcanoes formed?
Volcanoes are formed when magma from within the Earth’s upper mantle works its way to the surface. At the surface, it erupts to form lava flows and ash deposits. Over time as the volcano continues to erupt, it will get bigger and bigger.
What are the different types of volcanoes?
Scientists have categorised volcanoes into three main categories: active, dormant, and extinct. An active volcano is one which has recently erupted and there is a possibility that it may erupt soon. A dormant volcano is one which has not erupted in a long time but there is a possibility it can erupt in the future. An extinct volcano is one which has erupted thousands of years ago and there’s no possibility of eruption.
Why do volcanoes erupt?
The Earth’s crust is made up of huge slabs called tectonic plates, which fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. These plates sometimes move. The friction causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions near the edges of the plates.
Facts
There are more than 1,500 active volcanoes on the Earth. We currently know of 80 or more, which are under the oceans. Active volcanoes in the U.S. are found mainly in Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington.
Glossary
MAGMA – Magma is the liquid rock inside a volcano.
LAVA – Lava is the liquid rock (magma) that flows out of a volcano. Lava glows red hot to white hot as it flows.
ASH – Ash are very small fragments of lava or rock blasted into the air volcanic explosions.