I like to know about : Krakatoa & Visivius for my school project please , Thank you .

rocky Deena

Hi Deena,

Vesuvius and Krakatau are probably two of the most famous volcanoes on Earth. Some people might say they are two of the most infamous volcanoes because both of them had eruptions that killed a lot of people. Vesuvius is in Italy and its big eruption in 79 AD is the one that destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. It was the ash and mud from that eruption that trapped lots of people and fomed those casts of their bodies that you often see in volcano books. Vesuvius has erupted numerous times since then but those eruptions haven't been as violent. Of course many more people live on its slopes now than back in Roman times so if a big eruption were to occur today it would really be devastating.

Krakatau had its famous eruption in 1883. Krakatau is in Indonesia. It is a small island volcano between the islands of Sumatra and Java. There is a pretty bad movie called "Krakatoa, East of Java". This is really dumb because the proper name is Krakatau, not Krakatoa, and it is WEST of Java, not East. Anyway, the big eruption in 1883 generated large tsunami which spread outward from the tiny island and washed the shores of the nearby larger and more populated islands. These tsunami killed somewhere between 25,000 and 35,000 people. Additionally, the powerful explosions threw ash so high into the atmosphere that it went around the world many times and sunsets were brilliantly colored for many years after the eruption.

There have been books written about both eruptions and I've only told you a little of the story. You should check your local library for more information. Good luck on your project.

Sincerely,

Scott Rowland 

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