I would like to know the size of the Pinatubo caldera. I believe they evacuated a fifteen mile radius should it have been more? How much more?

Charles

Dear Charles,

The Pinatubo caldera is about 2 km in diameter.

I cannot find the exact size of the area evacuated. I do know that 80,000 people were evacuated. Mudflows and disease after the main eruption added to the number of casualties. Pinatubo was probably the largest eruption since 1932. I think the volcanologists involved did an excellent job. I do not care to second guess their decisions.

Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota

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