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The depends on a variety of factors. First, eruptions vary greatly in type and magnitude. Some volcanic produce slow-moving lava flows. These flows destroy essentially everything in their path, but it is easy for people to escape them. Others produce explosions, of ash, rock, and globs of lava, but significant effects do not reach very far beyond the vent. Others produce massive clouds of ash that can incinerate all that is near the volcano, and blanket areas farther away. These eruptions themselves vary in size and how far they reach. Second, it matters where the volcano is. The 1912 eruption of the volcano Novarupta was the largest if the twentieth century, but caused no direct casualties as it occurred in a remote part of Alaska. The much smaller eruption of Mount Pelee in 1902 killed more than 30,000 as it sent clouds of burning hot ash into the region's largest city. In modern times warnings matter as well. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo killed about 800 people, but the death toll would likely have been in the tens of thousands had authorities not evacuated everyone within 15 miles of the volcano. In 1985 authorities largely ignored the threat posed by the volcano Nevado del Ruiz in Columbia. When it erupted, towns in nearby valleys were not warned of the mudflows produced by melted glaciers. More than 20,000 people died.

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Q: Why are the death tolls and damage greater for some volcanic eruptions than others?
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Why are some volcanic eruptions very destructive while others are not?

some volcanic eruptions are very destructive cause there would be no evidencethat it is going to erupt


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How is a volcanic eruption different than the normal disasters such as earthquakes or tornadoes?

One way in which volcanic eruptions are different from most other natural disasters is that they are generally consistent in their location. A volcanic eruption almost always takes places at an already existing volcano, and so is more limited in where it occurs. While most natural disasters are local or regional events, major volcanic eruptions can cause damage globally through changes to the climate. However, all natural disasters have characteristics that set them apart from others, so we can't really say that this means that tornadoes and earthquakes are "normal" while volcanic eruptions are not.


Where was the last volcanic eruption and how destructive was it?

Volcanic eruptions happen, somewhere on the planet, every day. Check the website of the US Geological Survey for the latest information. There are currently volcanic eruptions in Italy, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Mexico, and Chile, among others. They are likely to cause minimal destruction, if any.


What materials does the composite volcano have after erupting?

Eruptions from composite volcanoes vary. Some eruptions will produce ash and pumice, some produce volcanic bombs, while still others produce lava flows.


Why are some volcanic eruptions gentle and others violent and why do scientist make a distinction?

Because it all depends on what type of volcano it is, if it is a shield volcano low and flat it's eruptions will be gentle. But if it is a cone volcano tall and steep it's eruptions will be very violent.


Why do some volcanic eruptions kill more people than others?

Volcanoes' eruptions eventually result in fertile ground, which tends to attract farming communities. Some people are able to avoid the pyroclastic flow better than other people.


What is an easy way to explain how mountains are formed?

An easy way to explain how mountains are formed is through geological activities. Most mountains are formed as a result of volcanic eruptions while others are formed through erosion and other activities.


Have there been any eruptions observed on mars?

No. There's some evidence of recent (geologically speaking, this means within the last ten million years or so) lava flows, but we have never observed any active volcanic eruptions on Mars. Some areologists (think geologists, except specializing in Mars rather than Earth) think volcanic activity is still possible on Mars, others think that Mars' volcanoes are now extinct (the mountains created by them still exist, of course; Olympus Mons is the solar system's largest known volcanic feature).