VOLCANIC HAZARDS

Chapter 5
 Various Volcano-related hazards
•Volcanologists are always working to
understand how volcanic hazards behave,
and what can be done to avoid them,
USGS Bulleting enumerates a few of the
more common volcanic hazards, and some
of the ways in which they are formed and
behave.
1.Lahars
• Lahars are specific kind of mudflow made up of
volcanic debris. They can form in a number of
situations , namely, 1) when a 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 on loose volcanic
debris, 4) when a volcano erupts through a crater
lake, or 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 materials as they travel, which can cause
damage to structures in their path.
4.Lahars and excess sediment cause serious economic and
environmental damage to river valleys and flood plains.
2. Ash fall
Volcanic ash consists of fragments of pulverized
rock, minerals and volcanic glass, created during
volcanic eruptions and measuring less than 2 mm in
diameter. The term volcanic ash is also often loosely
used to refer to all explosive eruption products
(tephra), including particles larger than 2 mm.
volcanic ash is formed during explosive volcanic
eruptions when dissolved gases in magma expand
and escape violently into the atmosphere.
 Devastating effects of ash fall

1. Ash fall rarely endangers human lives , but it can have devastating
effects on the things that people rely upon from day to day living. As a
result of its fine-grained abrasive character and widespread distribution
by wind, ash fall and volcanic ash clouds are a major hazard to aviation.
2. Ash fallout to the ground can pose significant disruption and damage
to buildings, transportation, water and wastewater, power supply,
communications equipment, agriculture, and primary production leading
to potentially substantial societal impacts and costs, even at thickness of
only few millimeters or inches. Fine grained ash, when ingested can
cause health impacts to humans and animals.
3. Pyroclastic flows
• Pyroclastic flows contain a highly-density mix of
hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas. They
move at a very high speed down volcanic slopes
typically following valleys. Most pyroclastic flows
consist of two parts: a lower (basal) flow or
fragments that moves along the ground, and a
turbulent cloud of ash that rises above the basal
flow. Ash may fall from this cloud over a wide area
downwind from the pyroclastic flow.
4. 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 and continue to travel upward and are eventually released into
the atmosphere. Large eruptions can release enormous amounts of gas
in a short time. The 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo is thought to have
injected more than 250 megatons of gas into the upper atmosphere on a
single day. However, even if magma never reaches the surface, gases
can often escape continuously into the atmosphere from the soil,
volcanic vents, fumaroles, and hydrothermal systems.
Pyroclastic flows in different ways:
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: the fronts of lava flows or
domes can become so steep that they collapse due to
gravitational force.
 Harmful effects of volcanic gases
 Most abundant volcanic gas is water vapor, which is harmless.
However, significant amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide,
hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen halides can also be emitted from
volcanoes. Depending on their concentrations, these gases are all
potentially hazardous to people, animals, agriculture, and property. The
harmful effects of these gases are:
1. Carbon dioxide trapped in low-lying areas can be lethal to people and
animals.
2. Sulfur dioxide is irritating to eyes, skin and respiratory system.
3. Hydrogen sulfide is very toxic in high concentrations.
4. Hydrogen halides are strong, toxic acids.
5. Lava flows
• Lava flows are streams of molten rock that pour or ooze
from an erupting vent. Lava is erupted during either non-
explosive activity or explosive lava fountains. The speed
at which lava moves across the ground depends on
several factors, including (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,
through a confined channel, or down a lava tube; and (4)
rate of lava production at the vent.
 Devastating effects of lava flows
1. Lava flows may instigate other types of hazard.
2. Everything in the path of an advancing lava flow will be knocked over,
surrounded, buried, or ignited by the extremely hot temperature of lava.
3. When lava erupts beneath a glacier or flows over snow and ice, melt water from
the ice and snow can result in far-reaching lahars.
4. If it enters a body of water or water enters a lava tube, the water may boil
violently and cause an explosive shower of molten spatter over a wide area.
5. Methane gas, produced as lava buries vegetation, can migrate in subsurface voids
and explode when heated.
6. Thick viscous lava flows, especially those that build a dome, can collapse to form
fast-moving pyroclastic flows.
6. Ballistic projectiles
• Volcanic explosions can propel rock fragments on
ballistic trajectories that may differ from the win
direction. These are known as ballistic projectiles.
• Ballistic projectiles are rocks that an erupting volcano
may hurl into the air. These blocks and bombs travel like
cannonballs and usually within 2km of the vent. These
events may occur without warning and in the absence of
a larger magmatic eruption. More typically, ballistic
projectiles are limited to within about 5km of vents.
 Devastating effects of ballistic projectiles
Tephra falls and ballistic projectiles endanger life and property:
1.The force of impact of falling fragments, but this occurs only close to
an eruption
2. Loss of agricultural lands if burial is greater than 10 cm depth
3.Producing suspensions of fine-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 vent, 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
1.Most volcanoes provide various types of warning
before eruption begin.
2.People living near volcanoes may detect
premonitory events before an eruption.
3.Measurement of changes in heat flow.
4.Detection and interpretation of precursory events.
5.Interpreting different volcano hazard maps.
1. World major volcanoes
2. Major volcanoes of the Philippines
3. Map showing pyroclastic flows from Mt. Pinatubo
4. Simplified hazard map showing potential impact for ground-based (Lassen Volcanic center, California)
5. Map showing volcanic hazard zones
6. Simplified hazard map showing potential impact for ground-based (crater lake, Oregon)
7. A map illustrating hazards at the Ampato-Sabancaya Volcanic Complex
 Precautionary measures before, during, and after volcanic eruption
Before volcanic eruption:
1. Be aware 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 danger
zones are warned when to evacuate. Once given the signal, obey instructions.
Refusing to evacuate will pose more serious problems.
3. Store as much food, water, light sources and batteries that are very useful incase
of emergency.
4. Volcanic eruptions have ash falls so be prepared for masks or anything to cover
nose and mouth.
5. Prioritize the safety of children and the elderly before other things. Take them to
relatives who are far from the volcano, and let them stay there until volcanic
emergency subsides.
During volcanic eruption:
1.Avoid all low-lying places because lava flows and mudflows
are more likely to pass here.
2.Seek cover in case 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 indoors.
5.If evacuated, stay in the evacuation center until further
instruction. 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 mask while cleaning ash other debris.
4.Wait for further announcements related to the
volcano activities.
5.Make sure that house is still safe for the whole
family.