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Computer-generated imagery of the eruption of Vesuvius in BBC/Discovery
Channel's co-production Pompeii.
In 79 AD, Pompeii was destroyed and buried by a natural disaster of
catastrophic levels when the nearby volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted. The
eruption is said to have lasted 2 days killing tens of thousands of people. The
eruption also destroyed and buried the sister city Herculaneum.
As we have learned, Volcanoes are usually located where two tectonic plates
are converging or diverging. However, Vesuvius is a stratovolcano which are
common in subduction zones, where oceanic crusts collide under continental
crusts.
An alley way in the ruins of Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the background
(that is a cloud near it and not smoke or ash coming out of it)
A man-made structure in Pompeii destroyed by the volcanic eruption;
this is all that remains of the ruins.
Another area of ruins in Pompeii. New vegetation has grown as you can see on
the left, as well as mountains in the far backgound that you can see.
Preserved victims of the eruption of the volcano in the position that they
died. They are covered in ash and soot.
More victims of the eruption. This picture is taken from behind a window
so tourists can not actually touch the figures.
Picture of Mount Vesuvius from 2007. A picture from the eruption
would not be possible but imagine an enormous cloud of smoke
rising into the sky.
Pompeii continues to exist today as a tourist attraction because of its ruins and
remains following the eruption.
Mt. Vesuvius is obviously still existent today, but it is also active. In fact, it is
the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted in the last 100
years.
The eruption of 79 AD has yet to be repeated and hopefully never will and
hopefully there will never be an eruption as catastrophic.
Natural Disasters ranging from Hurricane Katrina to the recent Tsunami in the
West Indies are beyond dangerous and although may only physically last a
short while, the effects of their destruction last much, much longer.