6 Biggest Volcanic Eruptions in Recorded History

Volcanic eruptions have the power to destroy entire cities, affect global climate and devastate economies the impact of which would be felt decades later.

What is the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI)?

Similar to the Richter scale for earthquakes, VEI is a classification system to measure the power of volcanic eruptions. The scale goes from 1 to 8 and each VEI is 10 times greater than the last.

Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai (VEI 5.7)

In 2022, the Kingdom of Tonga witnessed one of the biggest eruptions in recorded history releasing 50 million tonnes of water vapour into the atmosphere, enough to warm the planet for years.

Krakatoa, Indonesia (VEI 6)

The explosion of Krakatoa, which took place in 1883, was among the most violent eruptions in recent human history with the final blast so massive it was the loudest recorded sound in history heard by 10 per cent of Earth's surface.

Novarupta, Alaska (VEI 6)

The Novarupta eruption, in 1912 was the largest volcanic blast of the 20th century, sending 12.5 cubic kilometres of magma and ash into the air which covered an area of 7,800 square km in more than a foot-deep amount of ash.

Mount Thera, Greece (VEI 7)

Geologists believe when Thera erupted in 1610 BC, it generated the energy of several hundred atomic bombs in a fraction of a second. The explosion was so powerful it blew a massive hole in the Greek island of Santorini.

Mount Tambora, Indonesia (VEI 7)

The eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 is said to be the largest ever recorded by humans. It was so loud that was heard over 2,000 km away and led to food shortages that lasted over the next decade.

Yellowstone, US (VEI 8)

Yellowstone National Park is built on an active volcano which witnessed three magnitude-8 eruptions in recorded history. The most recent one was 640,000 years ago.