The Truth About Natural Disasters: Volcanoes

Natural disasters are one of the world’s wonders – we are still continually studying these to see how we can improve evacuation plans and be able to predict every single natural disaster. Natural disasters are very annoying to some people, but that doesn’t stop them from living a normal life. Sometimes we also have to think and care about the environment. Part of the reason that droughts are occurring here is that we have emitted too many gases which are depleting the ozone layer (causing global warming). Everyone thinks natural disasters are always bad, but sometimes they aren’t. Take volcanoes for example – they create fertile land for farmers which they love. If they are passionate farmers, they will risk their lives just for the love of farming.

Volcanoes erupt when the tremors of the Earth’s plates move and create friction. This heats the magma. The pressure then builds up to a certain point where the volcano can’t take it anymore and it erupts.

A volcano can erupt in two main ways – a Plinian eruption causing pyroclastic flows of tephra or a Hawaiian eruption causing streaming lava. A Plinian eruption is where pyroclastic flows occur and volcanic material goes everywhere, filling the air with molten rock and ash. This means you have to keep safe until it has rained down. With a Hawaiian style eruption, the lava flows down burning everyone. After the eruption ends, any lava will dry up creating new fertile land, which is great for farming.

Volcanoes mostly occur on the Pacific Ring of Fire. This area surrounding the Pacific is lined with 452 volcanoes. The reason all the volcanoes erupt here is because of the plate borders which for some reason line up around the border of the Pacific.