What can happen when a shield volcano erupts?

Answer 1

It will cause formation of Tsunami's that causes crop failure, house swept, landslides, traffic disrupted and also cause loss of lives, destroy buildings, earthquakes. It can also cause weather pollution, mainly in the form of acid rain.

The damage a volcano causes depends upon many factors:

If it erupts mainly lava, ash and gases then only those locations downwind will be affected by the ash and gases whilst the lava will only flow in depressions and on very gentle slopes. Think of Kilauea on Hawaii.

If the eruption is more explosive then the lava tends to be more viscous - it needs a definite slope to flow on, ashes and fumes will present a hazard downwind. Such as the eruptions at Stromboli.

A more explosive volcano will hurl blocks high into the atmosphere - 10 km or so, these will fall back to earth. However ash will fall several kilometres away while the big blocks will fall close to the vent. The ash creates a hazard to airplanes and other equipment. Damage is usually restricted to about 10 km from the volcano. Any lava erupted is andesitic, phonolitic in chemistry and needs a very defined slope to flow. Vulcano in Italy is a typical volcano.

However the bigger eruptions Vesuvius, Tambora, Krakatau will cause damage locally and at very great distances from the vent. This is due to the amount of sulfur that hits the stratosphere. These volcanoes rarely erupt lava and any that is erupted tends to be very viscous, flows very short distances and piles up.

Whether a volcano will create a tsunami depends. If it erupts regardless of where it is it will not create a tsunami, but if its flank fails and the debris enters the ocean then it may trigger a tsunami. There are many examples of volcanic islands around the world which have the potential of creating a tsunami if the flank fails in sufficient volume and this enters the ocean: Hawaii, Reunion, La Palma, El Hierro, Tenerife and many others - all active volcanic ocean islands have the potential to fail and trigger a tsunami.

Hope all this helps you.

I am a professional volcanologist for those who think they know better.

Answer 2

They release bromine which can put a hole in the ozone

Their ashes can suffocate people and change the atmosphere's percentage

They destroy biotic and abiotic features (this can also be a good thing because it will make space for new plants to grow on top of the rock)

Answer 3

Shield volcanoes are some of the least damaging of volcanoes due to the slow moving lava they produce. These volcanoes aren't much of a threat to human life but can be very damaging to man-made structures in the way of the lava.

Answer 4

Volcanic eruptions can cause earthquakes, fast floods, mud slides, and rock falls. Lava can travel very far and burn, bury, or damage anything in its path, including people, houses, and trees. The large amount of dust and ash can cause roofs to fall, makes it hard to breathe, and is normally very smelly. The ground around the volcano is not secure and can cause big earthquakes.

Answer 5

Volcanoes can cause immense damage, especially to populated areas. The lava that is expelled is capable to burn homes, businesses, and cause potential death to residents.

Answer 6

Mt. Helena once erupted, and the explosion was 20 x the explosive power of an atomic bomb.

Answer 7

A hazard from shield volcanoes is burning of trees, homes, etc.

Answer 8

When a shield volcano erupts it will ooze or sometimes fountain lava onto the surface. This lava then flows down hill, burning everything it touches.