What was the explosive force of Krakatoa?
August 1883 saw the world tremble with the eruption of Krakatau, a volcano in the Sunda Strait connecting the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. The Krakatau eruption had an explosive force of a 200-megatonne bomb, killing more than 36,000 people and cooling the entire Earth by an average of 0.6°C for months to come.
What was the magnitude of Krakatoa?
6
The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa has been assigned a Volcanic Explosivity Index or VEI of 6 which rates as “colossal”. To be assigned a VEI rating of 6, a volcanic eruption must have a plume height over 25 km and a displacement volume ranging between 10 and 100 km3 (cubic kilometers).
What was Krakatoa impact?
The combined effects of pyroclastic flows, volcanic ashes and tsunamis had disastrous results in the region. The official death toll recorded by the Dutch authorities was 36,417 and many settlements were destroyed, including Teluk Betung and Ketimbang in Sumatra, and Sirik and Semarang in Java.
How tall was the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883?
Beginning 20 May 1883, steam venting began to occur regularly from Perboewatan, the northernmost of the island’s three cones. Eruptions of ash reached an estimated altitude of 6 km (20,000 ft) and explosions could be heard in New Batavia ( Jakarta) 160 km (99 mi) away.
When was the last time Krakatoa was full of ash?
Krakatoa had been dormant for around 200 years when it woke up on May 20, 1883. A cloud of ash, reported by the captain of a German warship, rose nearly 7 miles above the island.
How did the weather change after the eruption of Krakatoa?
In the year following the 1883 Krakatoa eruption, average Northern Hemisphere summer temperatures fell by as much as 1.2 °C (2.2 °F). Weather patterns continued to be chaotic for years, and temperatures did not return to normal until 1888.
How big is the island of Krakatau in Indonesia?
The island of Krakatau is in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. It is part of the Indonesian Island Arc. Volcanic activity is due to subduction of the Indo-Australian tectonic plate as it moves northward toward mainland Asia. The island is about 3 miles wide and 5.5 miles long (9 by 5 kilometers).