Meaning of
VOLCANIC PHENOMENA
LAVA FLOWS
Leilani Estates, Hawaii on May
6, 2018.
Credit: US Geological Survey
ASHFALL OR TEPHRA FALL
Volcanic NEGATIVE IMPACTS / WHY IT IS HAZARDOUS
Phenomena
Lava flows rarely threaten human life because lava
usually moves slowly -- a few centimeters per hour for
silicic flows to several km/hour for basaltic flows. Most
characterize this as quiet effusion of lava.
Lavas can burn. The intense heat of lavas melt and
burn. As lava flows are hot and
incandescent, areas it covers are burned (forest, built
up areas, houses).
Stream-like flows
of incandescent
molten rock Lavas can bury. Lavas can bury homes and
erupted from a agricultural areas under meters of hardened
crater or fissure. rock. Areas affected by lava flows once solidified are
When lava is also rendered useless and will not be useful anymore
degassed and/or (for agriculture, etc) for years due to the solid nature of
very viscous the lava deposit.
(sticky), it tends to
extrude (push- Lavas can also block bridges and highways, affecting
out) extremely mobility and accessibility of people and communities.
slowly, forming
lava domes.
Collapsing viscous lava domes can trigger dangerous
pyroclastic flows.
Showers of Excessive ashfall can cause poor or low visibility
 airborne fine- to (driving, slippery roads).
coarse-grained Loss of agricultural lands can happen if buried by
volcanic particles ashfall greater than 10 cm depth.
that fallout from
the plumes of a
Ash can produce suspensions of fine-grained particles
volcanic eruption;
in air and water which clogs filters and vents of
ashfall
motors, human lungs, industrial machines, and
distribution/
nuclear power plants.
Mt. Mayon in Albay dispersal is
dependent on Ash suspended in air is also dangerous for
prevailing wind aircrafts as the abrasive ash can cause the
direction engines to fail if the suspended ash is
encountered by the airplane.
It carries harmful (even poisonous,
unpleasant) gases, acids, salts, and ( if close to the
vent) heat.
Burial by tephra can collapse roofs of buildings, break
Mt. Bulusan power and communication lines and damage or kill
vegetation.

Ash fall of less than 2 cm can damage critical facilities

such as hospitals, electric-generating plants, pumping
stations, storm sewers and surface-drainage systems
and sewage treatment plants, and short circuit
electric-transmission facilities, telephone lines, radio
and television transmitters.
PYROCLASTIC FLOWS AND
SURGES
(Pyroclastic density current)
Mt. Pinatubo, 1991
Turbulent mass of Pyroclastic flows and surges are potentially highly
ejected destructive owing to their mass, high temperature,
fragmented high velocity and great mobility.
volcanic materials
(ash and rocks), Pyroclastic flows can (1) destroy anything on its path
mixed with hot by direct impact, (2) burn sites with hot rocks debris,
gases (200oC to and (3) burn forests, farmlands, destroy crops and
700oC to as hot buildings
as 900oC) that
flow downslope at Deadly effects include asphyxiation (inhalation of hot
very high speeds ash and gases), burial, incineration (burns) and
(>60kph). Surges crushing from impacts.
are the more
dilute, more
mobile derivatives
or pyroclastic
flows.
 Rapidly flowing
thick mixture of Can destroyed many villages and lives living on
volcanic Pinatubo and Mayon Volcano because most people
LAHARS sediments (from live in valleys where lahars flow.
the pyroclastic
materials) and Can destroy by direct impact (bridges,
water, usually roads, houses).
triggered by
intense rainfall Can bury valleys and communities
during typhoons, with debris.
monsoons and
thunderstorms. It Can block tributary (branch) stream and form a lake.
can happen This can submerged villages within the valley of the
immediately after tributary that was blocked, there is also the danger of
Mayon Volcano’s Lahar an eruption or can the dammed lake breaching or lake breakout and if
become long-term this happens, this puts to danger the lives of people in
problem if there is communities downstream.
voluminous
pyroclastic Can lead to increased deposition of
materials erupted sediments along affected rivers and result to
such as the case long-term flooding problems in the low-lying
of 1991 Pinatubo downstream communities.
eruption. It can
also occur long
after an eruption
has taken place
such as the
lahars at Mayon
Volcano after the
1984 eruption.
 These are gases Sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and
VOLCANIC GASES and aerosols hydrogen flouride (HF) are some volcanic gases that
released into the pose hazard to people, animals, agriculture and
atmosphere, property.
which include
water vapor, SO2 can lead to acid rain. High concentrations of CO2
hydrogen sulfide, which is colorless and odorless can be lethal to
sulfur dioxide, people, animals and vegetation.
carbon monoxide,
hydrogen
Volcanic Gases from Mt. chloride, Fluorine compounds can deform and kill animals that
Pinatubo hydrogen fluoride. grazed on vegetation covered with volcanic ash.
Massive collapse of a When a huge portion of the side of a volcano
DEBRIS AVALANCHE OR volcano, usually collapses due to slope failure. This results to
triggered by an
VOLCANIC LANDSLIDE earthquake or
massive destruction similar to what happened in Mt.
volcanic eruption. St. Helens in the USA in 1980.

An example of recent
debris avalanche
event occurred
during the 1980
eruption of Mt. St The huge volcanic debris avalanche typically leaves
Helens. Based on an amphitheater-like feature and at the base of
present morphology
of volcanoes, Iriga volcanoes with debris avalanche event, a hummocky
This is an aerial view of the Soufriere Hills
volcano on the island of Montserrat in the Volcano in topography (small hills all over).
Lesser Antilles. Credit: NOC. Camarines Sur,
Banahaw Volcano
and Quezon
Province and
Kanlaon Volcano had
pre-historic debris
avalanche events.
 Volcanic Endanger life and property by the force of impact of
Ballistic Projectiles materials falling fragments, but this occurs only close to an
directly ejected eruption vent.
from the
volcano’s vent
with
force and
trajectory.

Mayon volcano during its sporadic eruption early

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

Sea waves or An eruption that occurs near a body of water

Tsunami wave trains that may generate tsunamis if the pyroclastic
are generated by materials enter the body of water and cause it to be
sudden disturbed and displaced, forming huge waves.
displacement of
water
(could be
generated during
undersea
eruptions or
debris
avalanches)

Vocabulary
Pyroclastic Flow. Is a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter (collectively known as tephra) that moves away from a volcano about 100 km/h (62
mph) on average but is capable of reaching speeds up to 700 km/h (430 mph).

Volcanic plumes. Mixtures of volcanic particles, gases, and entrained air that are produced by explosive eruptions. Material can be injected to high levels in the
atmosphere and dispersed on a global scale. Their structure and behavior are controlled by factors such as magmatic composition, the amount and nature of
volatile components, rate of magma discharge, and geometry of the source vent.