TIKS4DRR


 Volcano

A volcano is a natural phenomenon that involves the eruption of molten rock, hot gas, and ash from an opening in the Earth’s surface (UNDRR, 2017). Volcanoes are usually found where tectonic plates are moving apart or colliding, creating pressure and heat that melt the rocks below the surface. Volcanoes can also form in other places, such as over hot spots in the mantle or in regions where the crust is thinning or stretching. Volcanoes can have different shapes, sizes, and types, depending on the composition, viscosity, and amount of the erupted material, and the frequency and intensity of the eruptions.

Volcanic eruption (Wikimedia Commons)

Secondary hazards

Flooding

The 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia triggered a lahar (a volcanic mudflow) that buried the town of Armero and killed more than 20,000 people.

Landslides

In 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in the USA produced a massive landslide that covered an area of about 600 sqkm and reduced the height of the volcano by 400 m.

Environmental Contamination

During 1783 eruption of Laki in Iceland emitted large amounts of sulphur dioxide that caused acid rain and respiratory diseases in Europe.

Examples of Traditional and Indigenous knowledge

  • In the Philippines, some indigenous groups observe the flight patterns of birds, the movement of insects, and the color of the sky to anticipate volcanic eruptions (Gaillard & Masson, 2007).
  • In Peru, some indigenous communities perform rituals and ceremonies to honor the mountain gods and ask for their protection from volcanic eruptions and landslides (Gershon, 2021).
Traditional Peruvian ceremonies (Flickr)
  • In New Zealand, some indigenous tribes build stone houses on elevated platforms that can reduce the exposure to volcanic ash and lahars (Gabrielsen, et al., 2017).

References

Gabrielsen, H., Procter, J., Rainforth, H., Black, T., Harmsworth, G., & Pardo, N. (2017). Reflections from an Indigenous Community on Volcanic Event Management, Communications and Resilience. Retrieved from Observing the Volcano World: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/11157_2016_44

Gaillard, J.-C., & Masson, V. L. (2007). Traditional Societies’ Response to Volcanic Hazards in the Philippines. Retrieved from Mountain Research and Development: https://bioone.org/journals/mountain-research-and-development/volume-27/issue-4/mrd.0949/Traditional-Societies-Response-to-Volcanic-Hazards-in-the-Philippines/10.1659/mrd.0949.full

Gershon, L. (2021). How Volcanic Eruptions Helped the Ancestral Puebloan Culture Flourish. Retrieved from Smithsonianmag: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-volcanic-eruptions-helped-ancestral-pueblo-culture-flourish-180979162/

UNDRR. (2017). Disaster Risk Reduction Terminology. Retrieved from The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Glossary: https://www.undrr.org/drr-glossary/terminology

 

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