List of large volcanic eruptions of the 20th century

This is a list of volcanic eruptions of the 20th century measuring a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of at least 4, as well as notable smaller eruptions. Note that there may be many other eruptions that have not been identified, and estimates for the size of eruptions can be subject to considerable uncertainties.

VEI	Volcano (eruption)	Year	Casualties	Notes
4?	La Soufrière^[1]	1902	1,680
4	Mount Pelée^[2]	1902	33,000	Deadliest eruption of the 20th century.
6?	Santa María^[3]	1902	6,000
4	Grímsvötn^[4]	1903
4	Mount Lolobau^[5]	1904
5	Ksudach^[6]	1907
4	Mount Lolobau^[7]	1911
6	Novarupta^[8]	1912		Largest eruption of the 20th century.
5	Colima^[9]	1913
4	Sakurajima^[10]	1914
4	Tungurahua^[11]	1916
4	Agrihan^[12]	1917
4+	Katla^[13]	1918
4	Kelud^[14]	1919	5,000
4	Manam^[15]	1919
4	Raikoke^[16]	1924
4?	Iriomote-jima^[17]	1924		Underwater volcano.
4	Avachinsky^[18]	1926
4	Komagatake^[19]	1929
4	Kliuchevskoi^[20]	1931
4	Mount Aniakchak^[21]	1931
4	Volcan De Fuego^[22]	1932
5+	Cerro Azul^[23]	1932
5	Kharimkotan^[24]	1933
4	Suoh^[25]	1933
4?	Kuchinoerabujima^[26]	1933
4?	Rabaul caldera^[27]	1937
4	Parícutin^[28]	1943–1952		It is the fastest growing volcano on Earth and it is the youngest volcano in the world. This volcano grew out of a corn field in Mexico and it was in a Mexican film named Paricutin. Scientists believe that this volcano is extinct even though it erupted once.
4	Avachinsky^[29]	1945
4	Sarychev Peak^[30]	1946
4	Hekla^[31]	1947
4+	Ambrym^[32]	1950
4	Mount Lamington^[33]	1951	2,942
4	Kelud^[34]	1951
4	Bagana^[35]	1952
4	Mount Spurr^[36]	1953
4	Carran-Los Venados^[37]	1955
5	Bezymianny^[38]	1955-1957
5	Mount Agung^[39]	1963	1,584
4+	Shiveluch^[40]	1964
4	Taal^[41]	1965
4	Kelud^[42]	1966
4	Mount Awu^[43]	1966
4	Fernandina Island^[44]	1968
4	Tiatia^[45]	1973
4	Volcan De Fuego^[46]	1974
4	Tolbachik^[47]	1975
4	Mount Augustine^[48]	1976
5	Mount St. Helens^[49]	1980	55-60	Most deadly and economically destructive volcanic eruption in the history of the United States. The eruption reached all the way to Idaho but killed a small number of people and the blast of the volcano was heard 700 miles away.
4	Alaid^[50]	1981
4	Pagan^[51]	1981
5	El Chichón^[52]	1982	3,500	Ejected 7 million metric tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere.^[53]
4	Galunggung^[54]	1982		Notable for bringing attention to the dangers of volcanic ash on aircraft after two Boeing 747 jets suffered engine failure from its ash cloud.
4	Colo^[55]	1983
3	Nevado del Ruiz	1985	23,000	Armero tragedy
4	Mount Augustine^[56]	1986
4	Chikurachki^[57]	1986
4	Kliuchevskoi^[58]	1987
3	Mount Redoubt	1989-1990		Second costliest volcanic eruption in United States history. Caused engine failure of all four engines on KLM Flight 867 after it flew through the ash cloud.
4	Kelud^[59]	1990
6	Mount Pinatubo^[60]	1991	847	Largest stratospheric disturbance since Krakatoa eruption in 1883, dropping global temperatures and increasing ozone depletion.
5+	Mount Hudson^[61]	1991
4	Mount Spurr^[62]	1992
4	Lascar^[63]	1993
4?	Rabaul caldera^[64]	1994
4	Soufriere Hills Volcano	1997		The major volcano eruption caused pyroclastic flows to move at 60-100 MPH and destroyed towns.

References

External links

VEI glossary entry from a USGS website
How to measure the size of a volcanic eruption, from The Guardian
The size and frequency of the largest explosive eruptions on Earth, a 2004 article from the Bulletin of Volcanology
List of Large Holocene Eruptions (VEI > 4) from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program
VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) from the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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List of large volcanic eruptions of the 20th century

See also

References

External links