Buzz
Escaping an erupting volcano is one of those rare events you may think would happen less often as an adult than you expected as a child. But you never know when it might occur.
To prepare for such a scenario, we spoke with Dr. Janine Krippner, a volcanologist and outreach expert at the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Dr. Krippner is currently stationed at New Zealand's Mount Ngauruhoe, known to many as Mount Doom from The Lord of the Rings movies, and she shared her advice on surviving a volcanic eruption.
1. Sometimes, doing nothing is the smartest option.
“We live on a planet that’s incredibly volcanically active,” Krippner tells Mytour. “At any given moment, 40 to 50 volcanoes are in an ongoing eruption phase. Hundreds of millions of people reside on potentially active volcanoes. In fact, some live on erupting volcanoes all the time.” However, many volcanoes are closely monitored—scientists use observatories, seismic stations, GPS technology to measure hillside movements, satellites observing from space, and more—and most volcanic activity is relatively small-scale. "The smaller the eruption, the more frequent it is. It's just part of what the planet is doing," she explains. Most of the time, you don’t need to do anything, as experts worldwide are closely watching volcanic activity and are well-prepared to warn you if anything dangerous is on the way.
2. You can't always hide from lava—but you can outrun (or even outwalk) it.
“Lava is essentially a scorching bulldozer, but more often than not, you can walk faster than it flows,” Krippner says. "There are occasional eruptions, like Mount Nyiragongo in May this year, where very fast-moving lava flows have led to fatalities. But typically, it’s slow enough to allow for evacuation.”
The same cannot always be said for infrastructure: If you live on or near an erupting volcano, a lava flow might destroy your home. Lava stays hot for an extremely long time; even when it solidifies in thick layers, it can continue emitting gases at temperatures reaching hundreds of degrees for years. Normally, “there goes the neighborhood” is just a saying, but after a volcanic eruption, you might literally witness it happen.
3. If you spot an ash cloud, take cover indoors and close your windows.
“Volcanic ash can travel much farther than lava,” Krippner explains. “The Eyjafjallajökull eruptions in Iceland in 2010 grounded air traffic for weeks, even months. And that eruption wasn’t that massive. Large eruptions producing large amounts of ash can cause nearby structures to collapse because ash is heavy and corrosive. But unless you’re extremely close to the source, where the ash is densest, or if you have respiratory conditions or your house is in danger of falling apart, your safest bet is to stay indoors with the windows shut.”
If you’re particularly unfortunate, the volcano could produce a pyroclastic flow—an incredibly fast-moving mix of gas and volcanic debris that can reach temperatures in the thousands of degrees. This is what occurred in Pompeii, so it's a good news, bad news scenario: The good news is you might end up as a tourist attraction. The bad news, however, is extremely bad. (In 2018, scientists confirmed that several individuals perished when pyroclastic flows from Mt. Vesuvius vaporized their body fluids.)
4. Understand that the eruption is just one part of the danger.
Lava and ash may grab the headlines, but there are other ways volcanoes can harm you. “Ballistics are rocks hurled from the volcano, which can travel kilometers before crashing down, burning hot, and potentially sparking fires,” Krippner explains. “Then there are lahars, volcanic mudflows, which occur when an eruption breaks a crater lake, ruptures a dam, or melts glacier ice. These can race along rapidly, picking up debris, and are extremely hazardous.” In 1985, Colombia’s Nevado del Ruiz erupted, and though the eruption itself wasn’t huge, it melted a large amount of snow and ice, creating a lahar that tragically destroyed an entire town. If a lahar is on its way and you live in a valley, evacuate immediately.
5. Follow whatever instructions the experts give you.
Volcanologists around the globe collaborate and continuously exchange information and updates. However advanced science becomes in predicting volcanic events, there will always be unforeseen eruptions. “We have an active geothermal system, and it might just erupt when the pressure becomes overwhelming,” Krippner explains. “Mount Ontake in Japan erupted in 2014 without warning, resulting in the deaths of hikers.” If an eruption occurs unexpectedly, your best course of action is to follow the guidance of experts: “Volcano observatories and local emergency management should be your first resources for figuring out what to do.”
