Volcano Disasters - TimeLines of Liberty

Hurricanes - Volcanoes - Earthquakes

Last updated September, 2005.

Ancient Events - 1700s - 1800s - 1900s - This Century - 2005

33,000 BC

Pinatubo
volcano

Scientists say the largest eruption of Pinatubo in the Philippines was 35000 years ago.

1800s BC

Mount Etna
volcano

The first record of an eruption of Mount Etna was in the 18th century BC.

900.BC
+150

Arenal
volcano

Arenal volcano erupts within 150 years of 900 BC.

79 AD

Mt. Vesuvius
volcano

Mount Vesuvius in Italy erupted in 79 AD burying the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii. It was the first eruption that was recorded. Plinius the Older one had observed the eruption and wrote down all the aspects in detail.

220.AD
+75

Arenal
volcano

Arenal volcano erupts within 75 years of 220.

260 AD

Ilopango Cald.
volcano

The Ilopango Caldera is east of San Salvador in El Salvador. The last real activity was around 260 AD. No present activity is evident other than the local fishermen occasionally finding large numbers of fish dying, accompanied by a sulfur smell.

1006 AD

Mount Merapi
volcano

Mount Merapi in Indonesia erupted with destruction so bad the governing Hindu kingdom was destroyed allowing the Muslim take-over of the island.

1080.+50

Arenal
volcano

Arenal volcano erupts approximately in the late 1000s.

1169 AD

Mount Etna
volcano

Mount Etna erupts killing 15,000 people in one of the most disastrous eruptions.

1525.+20

Arenal
volcano

Arenal volcano erupts approximately in 1525

1700s

1738

Cotopaxi
volcano

Cotopaxi near Quito in central Ecuador among the Andes Mountains has erupted 50 or so times since 1738.

1744

Cotopaxi
volcano

Cotopaxi in central Ecuador among the Andes Mountains erupted in 1744 with an explosion so loud it was heard over 500 miles away in Honda, Colombia.

1750.+50

Arenal
volcano

Arenal volcano erupts in the 1700s

1766

Hekla
volcano

The most disastrous eruption of Hekla volcano in Iceland was in 1766. Its cone is surmounted by a cap of ice and it is the most active of the Icelandic volcanoes.

1786

1786

Mount Shasta
volcano

Mount Shasta in California is now dormant with its last eruption occurring in 1786.

1786

Mount Merapi
volcano

Mount Merapi in Indonesia erupted with one of its largest in 1786. It is located in central Java, 45 miles north of Yogyakarta.

1797

1797

Halekala
volcano

Halekala forms the eastern part of the island of Maui in the Hawaian Islands. Prior to going dormant its last eruption is said to have been around 1797.

1800s

1805

1805

Mount Hood
volcano

Mount Hood east of Portland in Oregon is a dormant volcano and the forth highest peak in the Cascade Range. Its last eruption was a little before Louis and Clark arrived in the area on their expedition in 1805.

1822

1822

Mount Merapi
volcano

Mount Merapi in Indonesia erupted with one of its largest in 1822. It has small eruptions every 2-3 years with larger every 10-15 years and the most devastating eruptions every 50 to 60 years.

1841

1841

Mount Erebus
volcano

Mount Erebus is active and situated on the easter coast of Ross Island on Antartica. Mt. Erebus was discovered by explorer James Ross in 1841 and was named after one of his ships.

1851

1851

Ricon Vieja
volcano

In Coasta Rica the Rincon de la Vieja volcano has erupted 16 times or more since 1851 with the latest in November 1995 and February 1998..

1872

1872

Mount Merapi
volcano

Mount Merapi in Indonesia erupted with one of its largest in 1872. The volcanic ash has made the soil rich attracting farmers to live nearby.

1877

1877

Cotopaxi
volcano

Cotopaxi near Quito in central Ecuador erupted in 1877 melting snow and ice producing mudflows that traveled 60 miles.

1883

1883

Krakatau
volcano

Thousands of people are killed in 1883 and most of the island destroyed by the eruption of Krakatau in the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra.

1886

1886

Mt.Tarawera
volcano

Mount Tarawera, a volcano near Rotorua on the North Island of New Zealand Erupts on June 10th killing at least 153 people.

1900s

1901

1901

Mount Pelée
volcano

Mount Pelée eruption of 1901 in Martinique was the most deadly eruption killing 29,000 people.

1904

1904

Cotopaxi
volcano

Cotopaxi in central Ecuador ends its last eruption in 1904.

1914

1914

Lassen Peak
volcano

Lassen Peak is currently considered dormant, its last activity was from 1914 to 1917 when it has around 150 explosions.

1917

1917

San Salvador
volcano

San Salvador volcano is west of the capital of El Salvador, San Salvador. Now dormant its last eruption was in June 1917 and destroyed a lard part of the city by the accompanying earthquakes.

1930

1930

Mount Merapi
volcano

Mount Merapi in Indonesia erupted with one of its largest in 1930. With its frequent eruptions many farmers rebuild starting new after each destruction.

1940

1940

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island, Mount Oyama erupts killing 11 people and injuring 9 in 1940.

1943

1943

Paricutin
volcano

A Mexican farmer discovered an 80 foot crack that appeared in his cornfield overnight. The area of the crack raised 33 feet by morning and 550 feet by the end of the week. After a year it was 1000 feet high and eventually grew to 1353 feet. Paricutin went dormant after 9 years and 12 days of erupting. 4,500 people lost their homes as well as the farmer his cornfield.

1944

1944

Tungurahua
volcano

Tungurahua volcano has 17 known eruptions during historical times. Its most recent eruption occurred with explosions from it crater in 1944.

1965

1965

Pacaya
volcano

Picaya volcano in Guatemala has been erupting almost continuously since 1965 with hundreds of explosions each day.

1967

1967

Erta Ale
volcano

Erta Ale has had 7 large eruptions since 1870 and has been continuously active since 1967. Erta Ale is distinguished by an active lava lake in the summit crater.

1968

1968

Arenal
volcano

In July the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica erupts in an explosion causing hot avalanches and ejecting blocks destroying the west flank of the mountain. 78 people were killed. This eruption changed the status of Arenal and has been active since.

1970

1970

Izalco
Volcano

The Izalco Volcano was known as the 'Lighthouse of the Pacific' because its frequent intermittent eruptions, until the late 50s, could be seen from the Pacific Ocean. It last erupted in the early 1970s with a short period of eruption activity. It smokes occasionally and is still considered active.

1973

1973

Heimaey
volcano

In January the volcano Heimaey was born erupting near the town of Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland. The eruption covered one third of the town. Heimaey is quite small for a volcano measuring just 4.36 square miles.

1975

1975

Cotopaxi
volcano

Cotopaxi near Quito in central Ecuador among the Andes Mountains has erupted about 50 times between 1738 and 1904. Its more recent activity during 1975 and 1976 with small earthquakes and an increase of steam emissions that melted snow.

1977

1977

Purace
volcano

Purace volcano in Colombia has approximately 12 eruptions during the 20th century with the last being in 1977.

1979

1980

1980

Mt.St.Helens
volcano

On May 18th Mount Saint Helens in Washington State erupts with an explosion that takes out the top and side of Mount St. Helens. The eruption began with an earthquake and resulted with a landslide and an explosion directed both horizontally and vertically that blankets eastern Washington with ash. Harry Truman of Spirit Lake lodge, enamored with the media attention prior to the explosion vows to stay on the mountain. Truman in his 90s perished with the lodge in the erupting explosion.

1983

1983

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island is left with a moonscape of lava rock, in 1983, after Mount Oyama erupts destroying 400 homes. No one was injured.

1984

1984

Manu Loa
volcano

Mauna Loa's eruption in 1984 came within 4 miles of Hilo, Hawaii. Mauna Loa has erupted 15 times in the 20th century making it one of the most active volcanoes. Taking up half the area of Hawaii it is the largest volcano on earth.

1985

1985

Guallatiri
volcano

Guallatiri volcano in Chili erupted most recently in 1985 and has erupted four times since 1825.

1985

Nevado.del.Ruiz volcano

Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia kills 23,000 people when its eruption in 1985 melts show and ice producing mudflows that devastate the town of Armero. It is the second most deadly of the 20th century behind the Mount Pelée 1901 eruption that killed 29,000 people.

1986

1986

Mt. Etna
volcano

Mt Etna erupts sending molten magma down its slopes towards a village. Legend says the local archbishop held a statue up in front of the lava to divert the flow.

1986

Sabancaya
volcano

With no known history of activity, Sabancaya volcano, the smaller of three in the Peruvian Andes, begins erupting in December 1986 and continues its dome building during the next 18 months.

1989

1989

Kilauea
volcano

The world's most active volcano, Kilauea in Hawaii destroys the visitors center at the national park in June and by the end of the year destroys 65 houses. The inner pit of the volcano is called "the House of Everlasting Fire".

1991

1991

Hekla
volcano

The most recent eruption of the Hekla volcano in Iceland was in 1991. It is the most active of the Icelandic volcanoes.

1991

Unzen
volcano

Unzen volcano east of Nagasaki in Japan had continued dome growth beginning in May 1991. A large amount of lava had been emitted and over ten thousand pyroclastic flows have been counted during the activity that ended in February 1995. 2000 buildings were destroyed and 40 people killed by the pyroclastic flows.

1992

1992

Mt. Etna
volcano

Mt. Etna threaten the town of Zafferana, on the lower slopes, with a population of 7,000 people. As the magma flowed closer to the town the Italian military used strategically placed explosives to divert the flow.

1993

1993

Mayon
Volcano

Mayon Volcano in the Bicol Region of Luzon island in the Philippines last erupted in 1993. Its near perfect cone makes it one of the most beautiful volcanoes on earth.

1993

Galeras
volcano

Galeras volcano located west of Pasto, Colombia erupts Killing 9 people on a scientific expedition to the summit. Galeras has erupted more than 20 times since 1500. The eruptions have usually been gas and ash emissions, lava flows and pyroclastic flows produced by explosive eruptions.

1994

1994

Mount Merapi
volcano

The eruption of Mount Merapi In Indonesia in November of 1994 kills 60 people causing authorities to close many acres of land.

1994

Popocatepetl
Volcano

Mexico's Popocatepetl Volcano comes to life in December after a dormancy since 1927. The last catastrophic eruption was over 800 years before.

1995

1995

Ricon Vieja
volcano

In Coasta Rica the Rincon de la Vieja volcano has erupted 16 times or more since 1851 with the latest in November 1995 and February 1998.

1998

1998

PitonFournaise
volcano

Piton de la Fournaise volcano takes up half the Reunion Island of Madagascar. Since 1640 there have been more than 150 eruptions making it one of the most active oceanic volcanoes. One of the most recent eruptions of Piton de la Fournaise was on March 9th emitting lava which did not seem to affect the inhabited areas.

1851

Ricon Vieja
volcano

In Coasta Rica the Rincon de la Vieja volcano has erupted 16 times or more since 1851 with the latest in November 1995 and February 1998..

1998

Mount Merapi
volcano

In Indonesia Mount Merapi erupts on July 13th sending ash two miles into the sky and hot lava down its slopes.

1998

Mount Merapi
volcano

In Indonesia Mount Merapi erupts the second time in eight days on July 20th forcing 2100 people to flee. A column of black ash shot up towering above, followed by the lava flows down the flanks of the mountain. Rains caused mudslides of the fresh laid ash.

2000s

2000

2000

Mount Usu
volcano

Mount Usu in northern Japan erupts on March 31st It had been 22 years since the last eruption.

2000

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island, on July 8th, 2,686-foot Mount Oyama erupts In the first of several eruptions to occur over the next two months.

2000

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island, on July 8th, 2,686-foot Mount Oyama erupts In the first of several eruptions to occur over the next two months.

2000

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island, on August 14th Mount Oyama erupts spouting smoke, ash and rocks into the air in the second eruption in a week.

2000

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island, on July 15th, Mount Oyama erupts. This was the third of a series of eruptions.

2000

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island, on August 9th, Mount Oyama erupts in the 4th eruption in a month.

2000

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island, on August 11th, Mount Oyama erupts.

2000

Mount Oyama
volcano

In Japan on Miyakejima Island, on August 19th, Mount Oyama erupts spouting rock with smoke and ash spewing 5 miles into the air. A blanket of ash, as deep as 8 inches in some places, covered the island. This was the largest eruption of Mt. Oyama since 1983.

2000

Popocatepetl
Volcano

Mexico's Popocatepetl Volcano on November 16th spews lava, rock and ash in a 7:30 p.m. eruption. An evacuation is urged but few take heed.

2001

2001

Mt. Etna
volcano

Mount Etna in Italy continues spewing smoke, ash and lava thousands of feet into the sky as of July 19th, rivers of lava continue flowing as well. Mt. Etna is Europe's highest and the most active volcano.

2002

2002

Congo
volcano

Lava flowed through the rebel controlled town of Goma in the Congo after the eruption of a nearby volcano. U.N. estimates and a petrol station explosion ignited by the lava sets the death toll at around 97.

2002

Montserrat
volcano

In the Caribbean concern is caused when on October 13, a large bolder of cooled lava breaks away from Montserrat's volcano and falls into the sea.

2003

2003

Montserrat
volcano

Jul. 13 Dome of Montserrat volcano collapses Explosions rocked volcano, spewing thick clouds of ash into the air after rainfall caused part of the dome to collapse

2004

2004

Fire
Volcano

In the Colima State on September 29th an eruption of small explosions begins a lava flow down the 12,540-foot slope of Mexico's "Fire Volcano."

2004

Mt.St.Helens
volcano

The U.S. Geological Survey warns on September 30th the heightened possibility of a small to moderate eruption of Mount St. Helens. A powerful tremor in the crater prompted the speculation. The volcano was still shaking 2 days after the initial "hiccup."

2005

2005

Mt.St.Helens
volcano

On March 9th in Washington state Mount St. Helens belches a plume of smoke and ash 6 miles high, visible for 50 miles.

2005

Anatahan
Volcano

The Pacific islands of Oceania are dusted with ash on April 6th as the Anatahan Volcano sends a plume of ash and smoke 50,000 feet into, and darkening, the sky.

2005

Sumatra
Volcano

In Indonesia on April 13th the Sumatra volcano rumbles causing the evacuation of 25,000 residents.

2005

Comoros
volcano

On April 17th Hundreds of villagers in Comoros flee fearing poison gas as a volcano spews forth ash and boulders.

2005

Fire
Volcano

In its series of eruptions Mexico's Fire Volcano erupts on May 23rd with its largest explosion since 1999.

2005

Fire
Volcano

Fire Volcano in Mexico erupts again on May 30th with an explosion sending a 3 mile plume of smoke and ash into the air.

2005

Mt.St.Helens
volcano

Washington's Mount St. Helens sends a plume of ash above the crater rim on July 3rd when the expanding lava dome collapses.

2005

underwater
volcano

In Japan on July 4th a mystery water plume jets out of the Pacific Ocean 3.300 feet into the sky. Speculation says the plume was likely caused by an eruption of an underwater volcano.

Ancient Events - 1700s - 1800s - 1900s - This Century - 2005

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Ancient Events - 1700s - 1800s - 1900s - This Century - 2005

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