Volcanic eruption

  • Volcanic eruption
    • Origen: Lava comes out of a hole in the earth
    • Trigger: Rupture in the crust; normally where two or more of the 17 major tectonic plates converge
    • Danger:
      • Explosion: Fragments
      • Lava: Extremely hot and melts everything
      • Volcanic ash (cold ash falling from the sky): Danger for jet engines and covers the sunlight
        • Causes volcanic winters; cold.
      • Pyroclastic flows (hot ashes in the air): Danger due to the burning heat
      • Lahar (volcanic landslide): Buries and kill people
      • Destroy property, bury people and kill
    • Behaviour: Relatively sudden onset; Normally monitored by authorities
    • Place: Mainly along the line between crusts, and normally existing volcanoes
    • Other: It is possible to predict potential risk and estimate onset
      • When it erupts it always suddenly
    • Precaution: Be careful when in risk areas
    • Closedown of Society: Fast and potential long lasting

     

     

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WFET on Volcanic eruption

We need to be more conscious about where we are. If we are close to a volcano we might consider us to be in a risk area, then we should be conscious about where we stay. The more distance to the immediate volcano the better. Volcanic eruptions happen from time to time and cannot be predicted very well. Ask local people about volcanic eruption in the area where you are. They will give information about risk areas and safer areas. If a Volcano erupts, it simply comes. Sometimes it is more frequent after earthquakes. You will have no information before smoke starts to come out of the Volcano, perhaps an explosion and then the lava start moving out. Everything around you is a total chaos from that moment on. That is why you have to plan; plan BEFORE the emergency.

This is called to make your emergency plan. That is IF the worst case scenario happens, a volcanic eruption. What do you do? First, you need to set your parameters; where is it more dangerous to be if a volcano erupts. Divide into different zones red, yellow and green. When you move into a yellow zone you need to have a way out if something happen or a safe place to hide. Safe places are difficult to find when it comes to lava and Pyroclastic flows.  When moving into red zone you need to me on 100% alert, have a pre-defined way out and pre-defined clues for you to pull out; if something happen you will most likely die. It is impossible define safe zones to use IF you cannot get out. Perhaps most important than everything, STAY CALM! Panic is the biggest killer during volcanic eruptions.