Download The Eruption of Mount Pinatubo

The Eruption of Mount Pinatubo
Lesson Objective:
To be able to explain the cause, impacts and
response of a volcanic eruption in an LIC
Characteristics
of volcanoes
lava flow
ash cloud
gas emissions
pyroclastic flow
lahars
Wind can blow ash a long way, which causes it to affect a large area by covering
crops and roads; collapsing roofs because of the weight and suffocating animals and
humans.
The main killer during an eruption is this deadly cloud of hot steam and ash that
travels at over 200 km/h.
Ash in the air often triggers torrential rainfall, which washes the ash and mud down
the volcano like a river.
This flow of molten rock does not travel quickly, so does not cause many deaths,
however it does destroy farmland, property and roads.
Sulphur, carbon dioxide and cyanide can all be released during an eruption, causing
death to animals and humans.
Causes – Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines
Mt Pinatubo erupted in June 1991. It is located on a destructive plate
boundary between the Eurasian and Philippine plate. Convection
currents cause the Oceanic Philippine plate to subduct below the
Eurasian continental plate which causes pressure to build up. As the
plate subducts it melts into magma, and forms a magma chamber.
Over time, pressure continues to build up in the magma chamber
forcing magma to rise up through cracks in the continental crust and
eventually erupting as a volcano.
Impacts of the eruption:
Short term
Long term
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=u2vvKFkuPbk
KEY WORDS: Make sure you are able to define
Pyroclastic flow
Lahars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x5t
ZAHEoRU
Thousands of people
needed treatment in
hospital for lung damage
The eruption left many
people psychologically
traumatized long after.
The destruction of
property meant that
millions of dollars were
needed for rebuilding
350 people killed by
pyroclastic flow
Power supplies were cut
off
Roads and bridges
became blocked with ash
Heavy rain fell and mixed
with ash to cause lahars
(mudflows) leading to
further problems
Thick ash in the
atmosphere blocked out
the sun turning day into
night
Lahars continued to
happen months after,
causing landslides and
further loss of homes
People forced to live in
dirty refugee camps
where diseases spread
easily
Farmland and crops were
destroyed
Thousands of people
remained homeless for
months after the event
Response: The Philippines is an LIC
LIC (low income country) therefore;
• Took longer for rebuilding to take place
• People remained homeless for a long time
• Diseases spread in refugee camps due to poor
sanitary conditions
• The country is more dependent on foreign aid
• New towns and villages were built further away
from disaster areas
lava flow
Wind can blow ash a long way, which
causes it to affect a large area by covering
crops and roads; collapsing roofs because
of the weight and suffocating animals and
humans.
lava flow
Wind can blow ash a long way, which
causes it to affect a large area by covering
crops and roads; collapsing roofs because
of the weight and suffocating animals and
humans.
ash cloud
The main killer during an eruption is this
deadly cloud of hot steam and ash that
travels at over 200 km/h.
ash cloud
The main killer during an eruption is this
deadly cloud of hot steam and ash that
travels at over 200 km/h.
gas
emissions
Ash in the air often triggers torrential
rainfall, which washes the ash and mud
down the volcano like a river.
gas
emissions
Ash in the air often triggers torrential
rainfall, which washes the ash and mud
down the volcano like a river.
pyroclastic
flow
This flow of molten rock does not travel
quickly, so does not cause many deaths,
however it does destroy farmland,
property and roads.
pyroclastic
flow
This flow of molten rock does not travel
quickly, so does not cause many deaths,
however it does destroy farmland,
property and roads.
lahars
Sulphur, carbon dioxide and cyanide can
all be released during an eruption, causing
death to animals and humans.
lahars
Sulphur, carbon dioxide and cyanide can
all be released during an eruption, causing
death to animals and humans.