Volcanic Hazards

• Volcanoes can be exciting and fascinating

because of their natural formation, but they can
also be very dangerous.
• Active volcanoes are capable of creating harmful
or deadly hazards, whether during an eruption
or a period of quiescence.
• Understanding what a volcano can do is the first step
in mitigating volcanic hazards.
• Even if scientists have studied volcanoes, they do not
necessarily know everything about what they are
capable of.
• Volcanoes are natural systems, and they always have
some elements of unpredictability
Various Volcano-related Hazard
• Volcanologists are always working to understand how volcanic
hazards behave, and what can be done to avoid them. The most
common volcanic hazards are the following:
1. Lahars
2. Ash Fall
3. Pyroclastic flow
4. Volcanic gases
5. Lava flows
6. Ballistic Projectiles
Volcano-related Hazards
• Lahars
- Specific kind of mudflow made up of volcanic debris.
1. When small slope collapses gather water on their way down a
volcano
2. Through rapid melting of snow and ice during an eruption
3. From heavy rainfall and loose volcanic debris
4. When a volcano erupts through a crater lake
5. When a crater lake drains because of overflow or wall collapse
Destructive Characteristics of Lahars
1. Lahars move rapidly down valleys like rivers of concrete
2. Lahars can occur with or without a volcanic eruption
3. Lahars pick up material as they travel, which can cause damage to
structures in their path
4. Lahars and excess sediments cause economic and environmental
damage to river valleys and flood plains
Volcano-related Hazards
• Ash fall
- Consist of fragments of pulverized rocks, minerals and volcanic glass,
created during volcanic eruptions and measuring less than 2 mm in
diameter
- Refers to all explosive eruption products (tephra), including particles
larger than 2 mm.
- Formed during explosive volcanic eruptions when dissolved gases in
magma expand and escape violently into the atmosphere.
Devastating effects of Ash fall
• As a result of fine-grained abrasive character and widespread
distribution by wind, ash fall and volcanic ash clouds are major
hazards to aviation
• Can pose significant disruption and damage to buildings,
transportation, water and waste water, power supply, communication
equipment agriculture and primary production of food
• when you ingest ash, it can have great impact to the health of
humans and animals
Volcano-related Hazards
• Pyroclastic Flows
- Contain a high-density mix of hot lave blocks, pumice, ash and
volcanic gas. They move at very high speed down volcanic slopes,
typically following valleys.
- Two parts:
1. Lower (basal) - flow of coarse fragments that moves along the
ground
2. Turbulent cloud of ash – rises above the basal flow. Ash may fall
from this cloud over a wide area from the pyroclastic flow
Different forms of Pyroclastic Flow
1. Collapse of eruption column – during a highly explosive eruption,
the column ejected upwards into the atmosphere cools and can
become too cool and dense to maintain upward momentum.
2. “Boiling over” from eruptive vent – during an explosive eruption,
material is erupted without forming a high plume and rapidly
moves down slope.
3. Collapse of lava domes or flows – fronts of lava flows or domes can
become so steep that they collapse due to gravitational force
Volcano-related Hazards
• Volcanic Gases
- Magma contains dissolved gases, which provide the driving force that
causes most volcanic eruptions. As magma rises towards the surface
and pressure decreases, gases are released from the liquid portion of
the magma (melt) and continue to travel upward and are eventually
released into the atmosphere. Large eruptions can release enormous
amounts of gas in a short time.
Harmful effects of Volcanic Gases
1. Carbon dioxide (CO2) trapped in low-lying areas can be lethal to
people and animals.
2. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is irritating to eyes, skin and respiratory system
3. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is very toxic in high concentrations.
4. Hydrogen halides (HF, HCl, HBr) are strong, toxic acids.

Depending on their concentrations, these gases are all potentially

hazardous to people, animals, agriculture, and property.
Volcano-related Hazards
• Lava Flows
- Streams of molten rock that pour or ooze from an erupting vent.
- Erupted during either non-explosive activity or explosive lava
fountains. The speed at which lava moves across the ground depends
on several factors:
1. Type of lava erupted and its viscosity
2. Steepness of the ground over which it travels
3. Whether the lava flows as a broad sheet, confined channel or a lava
tube
4. Rate of lava production at the vent
Devastating effects of Lava Flows
• Lava flows may instigate other types of hazards
• Everything in the path will be knocked over, surrounded, buried, or
ignited by the extremely hot temperature of lava
• When it erupts beneath a glacier or snow, it can melt water and can
result in far-reaching lahars.
• If it enters in the body of water, the water may boil violently and
cause an explosive shower of molten spatter over in a wide area
• Methane gas, produced as lava buries vegetation, can migrate in
subsurface to form fast – moving pyroclastic flows.
Volcano-related Hazards
• Ballistic Projectile
- Volcanic explosions can propel rock fragments on ballistics
trajectories that may differ from the wind direction.
- Rocks that an erupting volcano may hurl into the air. These travel like
cannonballs and usually land within 2km of the vent.
- These events may occur without warning and in the absence of a
larger magmatic eruption.
- These ballistic projectiles are limited to within about 5 km of vents.
Devastating effects of Ballistic Projectiles
• Tephra falls and ballistic projectiles endanger life and property by:
1. Force of impact of falling fragments, but this occurs only close to an
eruption
2. Loss of agricultural lands if burial is greater that 10 cm depth
3. Producing suspensions of fined-grained particles in air and water
which clogs filters and vents of motors, human lungs, industrial
machines and nuclear power plants.
4. Carrying of noxious gases, acids, salts and close to the vents, heat
5. Burial by tephra can collapse roofs of buildings, break power and
communication lines and damage or kill vegetation
Signs of an Impending Volcanic Eruption
• Upward magma normally will generate detectable earthquakes, cause
anomalous heat flow
• Steaming or fumarolic activity
• Swelling of the ground surface
• Precede eruptions and can be detected by frequent or continuous
analysis of gases
Precautionary measures before, during and
after volcanic eruptions
Before volcanic eruption
1. Beware of the dangers that volcanic eruptions pose to lives and be
prepared to face whatever circumstances the eruption may bring
2. Prepare all necessary things to bring once evacuation is needed.
Those in dander zones are warned when to evacuate. Once given
the signal obey instructions. Refusing to evacuate will pose more
serious problems.
3. Store in much food, water, light sources and batteries that are very
useful in case of emergency
4. Volcanic eruptions have ash falls so be prepared for masks or
anything to cover nose and mouth
5. Prioritize safety of children and the elderly before other things. Take
them to relative who are far from the volcano and let them stay
there until volcanic emergencies subsides
During volcanic eruptions
1. Avoid all low-lying places because lava flows and mudflows are
more likely to pass here
2. Seek cover in case of pyroclastic falls and ballistic projectiles.
3. Use masks and cover mouth and nose to avoid breathing in ashes.
4. If inside a house, close all doors and windows to avoid ashes from
getting inside. Stay in doors
5. If evacuated. Stay in the evacuation center until further
instructions. Do not attempt to leave the place unless told to do.
After volcanic eruption
1. Check house and place if already safe
2. Clean everything around and check all damages incurred
3. Use masks while cleaning ash and other debris
4. Wait for further announcements related to the volcano activities
5. Make sure that house is still safe for the whole family