List of volcanic eruptions by death toll explained

Volcanic eruptions can be highly explosive. Some volcanoes have undergone catastrophic eruptions, killing large numbers of humans or other life forms. This list documents volcanic eruptions by human death toll.

Volcanic eruptions

data-sort-type="number"	Human death toll	data-sort-type="text"	Volcano	data-sort-type="number"	VEI	data-sort-type="text"	Location	data-sort-type="number"	Year	data-sort-type="number"	Eruption	data-sort-type="number"	Source(s)
71,000 to 250,100+	Mount Tambora	7	Indonesia	1815	1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, Year Without a Summer
36,000+	Krakatoa	6	Indonesia	1883
30,000	Mount Pelée	4	Martinique	1902	1902 eruption of Mount Pelée
23,000	Nevado del Ruiz	3	Colombia	1985	Armero tragedy
20,000~ (estimated)	Santorini	6	Greece	c. 1600 BC	Minoan eruption
15,000 to 20,000	Mount Samalas	7	Indonesia	1257	1257 Samalas eruption
15,000	Mount Unzen	2	Japan	1792	1792 Unzen earthquake and tsunami
13,000+ (estimated)	Mount Vesuvius	5	Italy	79	Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD
10,000+	Laki and Grímsvötn	4	Iceland	1783	Laki 1783 eruption	^[1]
10,000	Kelud	5	Indonesia	1586
6,000	Santa María	6	Guatemala	1902	1902 eruption of Santa María	^[2]
5,160	Kelud	4	Indonesia	1919		^[3]
4,011	Mount Galunggung	5	Indonesia	1822		^[4]
3,360	Mount Vesuvius	5	Italy	1631	1631 eruption of Mount Vesuvius
3,000	Ritter Island	2	Papua New Guinea	1888	1888 Ritter Island eruption and tsunami
2,957	Mount Papandayan	3	Indonesia	1772		^[5]
2,942	Mount Lamington	4	Papua New Guinea	1951	1951 eruption of Mount Lamington
2,806	Mount Awu	3	Indonesia	1856
2,033	Oshima Oshima	4	Japan	1741	1741 eruption of Oshima–Ōshima and the Kampo tsunami
2,000	Tseax Cone		Canada			^[6]
1,900	El Chichón	5	Mexico	1982		^[7]
1,700	Soufrière	4	St. Vincent	1902		^[8]
1,584	Mount Agung	5	Indonesia	1963
1,532	Mount Awu	3	Indonesia	1892
1,500	Huaynaputina	6	Peru	1600		^[9] ^[10]
1,369	Mount Merapi	3	Indonesia	1930		^[11]
1,335	Taal	3	Philippines	1911		^[12]
1,300	Gamalama	3	Indonesia	1775		^[13]
1,200	Mount Mayon	4	Philippines	1814
1,151	Mount Asama	4	Japan	1783	Tenmei eruption
1,000	Nevado del Ruiz	3	Colombia	1845
847	Mount Pinatubo	6	Philippines	1991	1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo
700	Hokkaido Komagatake	5	Japan	1640		^[14]
600	Nevado del Ruiz	4	Colombia	1595		^[15]
507	Tavurvur	4	Papua New Guinea	1937		^[16]
500	Hibok-Hibok	3	Philippines	1951		^[17] ^[18]
477	Mount Bandai	4	Japan	1888	1888 eruption of Mount Bandai
426	Anak Krakatoa	3	Indonesia	2018	2018 Sunda Strait tsunami
416	Ruang	2	Indonesia	1871	1871 Ruang eruption and tsunami
400+	Kilauea	4	Hawaii, United States	1790	Keanakakoi eruption
350 to 400	Mount Mayon	4	Philippines	1897		^[19]
353	Mount Merapi	4	Indonesia	2010	2010 eruptions of Mount Merapi
340	Cotopaxi	4	Ecuador	1877		^[20]
326	Makian	4	Indonesia	1861
245	Nyiragongo	1	Democratic Republic of the Congo	2002
216	Mount Vesuvius	4	Italy	1906		^[21]
190 to 2,900	Volcán de Fuego	3	Guatemala	2018	2018 Volcán de Fuego eruption	^[22]
160+	Paluweh	3	Indonesia	1928		^[23]
150	Tori-shima	3	Japan	1902		^[24]
149	Dieng Volcanic Complex	1	Indonesia	1979	1979 eruption of Sinila crater	^[25]
144	Mount Tokachi	3	Japan	1926		^[26]
117	Dieng Volcanic Complex	2	Indonesia	1944		^[27]
114	Dieng Volcanic Complex	1	Indonesia	1964
108 to 120	Mount Tarawera	5	New Zealand	1886	1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera
106	Dubbi	3	Eritrea	1861
87	Volcán Arenal	3	Costa Rica	1968		^[28]
80	Mount Marapi	2	Indonesia	1979	1979 eruption of Mount Marapi	^[29]
79	Mount Mayon	2	Philippines	1993		^[30]
70	Nyiragongo	1	Democratic Republic of the Congo	1977		^[31]
70~	Kolumbo	4	Greece	1650		^[32]
69	Semeru	4	Indonesia	2021	2021 Semeru eruption
64	Mount Merapi	2	Indonesia	1994		^[33]
63	Mount Ontake	3	Japan	2014	2014 Mount Ontake eruption
58	Sakurajima	4	Japan	1914		^[34]
57	Mount St. Helens	5	United States	1980	1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
56	Mount Etna	2	Italy	1843		^[35]
56	La Soufrière	4	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	1812		^[36]
50	Mount Usu	4	Japan	1822		^[37]
43	Mount Unzen	1	Japan	1991		^[38]
40	Dieng Volcanic Complex	2	Indonesia	1928
39	Taal	4	Philippines	2020	2020–2022 Taal Volcano eruptions
38	Dieng Volcanic Complex	2	Indonesia	1786
32	Mount Nyiragongo	1	Democratic Republic of the Congo	2021	2021 Mount Nyiragongo eruption
32	Kelud	4	Indonesia	1990		^[39]
31	Bayonnaise Rocks	2	Japan	1952		^[40]
31	Nabro Volcano	4	Eritrea	2011	2011 Nabro eruption
30	Rinjani	3	Indonesia	1994		^[41]
27	Mount Vesuvius	3	Italy	1944
25	Villarrica	2	Chile	1964		^[42]
24	Monte Nuovo (Phlegraean Fields)	3	Italy	1538		^[43]
23	Villarrica	3	Chile	1948		^[44]
23	Mount Marapi	2	Indonesia	2023	2023 eruption of Mount Marapi
22	Whakaari/White Island	2	New Zealand	2019	2019 Whakaari / White Island eruption
19	Soufrière Hills	3	Montserrat	1997		^[45]
18	Galunggung	4	Indonesia	1982
16	Sinabung	4	Indonesia	2014		^[46]
15 to 30	Villarrica	2	Chile	1971		^[47]
15	Raikoke	4	Russia	1778		^[48]
10	Dieng Volcanic Complex	1	Indonesia	1939
10	Lewotobi	3	Indonesia	2024		^[49]
10	Whakaari/White Island		New Zealand	1914
9	Galeras	2	Colombia	1993	Galeras tragedy
9	Mount Etna	3	Italy	1979		^[50]
8	Dieng Volcanic Complex	1	Indonesia	2017		^[51]
8	Kuchinoerabu-jima	4	Japan	1933		^[52]
7	Kelud	4	Indonesia	2014		^[53]
7	Jabal al-Tair	3	Yemen	2007		^[54]
6	Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai	5	Tonga	2022	2021–22 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption and tsunami
6	Karangetang	2	Indonesia	1992		^[55]
5	Mount Tavurvur	4	Papua New Guinea	1994		^[56]
5	Mount Hudson	3	Chile	1971		^[57]
4	Gamalama	2	Indonesia	2011		^[58]
4	Yakedake	1	Japan	1995		^[59]
4	Stromboli	2	Italy	1930		^[60]
3	Pacaya	3	Guatemala	2010		^[61]
3	Kanlaon	2	Philippines	1996		^[62]
3	Didicas	2	Philippines	1969		^[63]
2	Santa Ana	3	El Salvador	2005		^[64]
2	Mount Bromo	2	Indonesia	2004		^[65]
1	Popocatépetl	2	Mexico	2022		^[66]
1	Cumbre Vieja	3	Spain	2021	2021 Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption
1	Stromboli	2	Italy	2019		^[67]
1	Chaitén	4	Chile	2008		^[68]
1	Raoul Island	1	New Zealand	2006		^[69]
1	Eldfell	3	Iceland	1973		^[70] ^[71] ^[72]

See also

• Lists of disasters
• List of volcanic eruption deaths
• List of natural disasters by death toll
• List of volcanic eruptions in the 21st century

Notes and References

1. Local and Global Impacts of the 1783–84 Laki Eruption in Iceland. Wired.
2. Web site: What is the largest eruption ever? Volcano World Oregon State University. volcano.oregonstate.edu. 11 August 2016. 17 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171117034608/http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/what-largest-eruption-ever. dead.
3. Web site: Kelud . Volcano Discovery.
4. Web site: Galunggung Volcano World Oregon State University. volcano.oregonstate.edu. 25 October 2010.
5. Papandayan. 263100. 2021-06-24.
6. The Cascadia megathrust earthquake of 1700 may have rejuvenated an isolated basalt volcano in western Canada: Age and petrographic evidence . Higgins, M.D. . Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research . 2009 . 179 . 1–2 . 149–156 . 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2008.10.016. 2009JVGR..179..149H .
7. Looking Back at the 1982 eruption of el Chichón in Mexico. Wired.
8. News: 1902-05-26. St. Vincent volcano is now less active (1902). 1. The Fort Wayne Sentinel. 2021-04-15. 15 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210415011127/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75773599/st-vincent-volcano-is-now-less-active/. live.
9. News: Firing the sky. 18 February 2016. The Hindu. 26 April 2018. Subramanian. Archana.
10. Web site: The winter of Huaynaputina. Zijlstra. Albert. 30 June 2017. volcanocafe.org. 9 February 2018.
11. Web site: A Look Inside Mount Merapi . Live Science. 8 November 2010 .
12. Web site: Taal Volcano . . John Seach.
13. Web site: Eruption of the Gamalama volcano . https://web.archive.org/web/20120212090252/http://earthquake-report.com/2011/12/05/eruption-of-the-gamalama-volcano-ternate-indonesia/ . 2012-02-12 . earthquake-report.com . December 7, 2011.
14. Report on Hokkaido-Komagatake (Japan) — September 1998 . . Smithsonian Institution. 10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199809-285020 .
15. News: BBC:On this day: November 13: 1985: Volcano kills thousands in Colombia . . November 13, 1985 . September 3, 2009 .
16. Rabaul Caldera . Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research . February 1985 . 23 . 3 . 195–237 . 10.1016/0377-0273(85)90035-6 . McKee . C. O. . Johnson . R. W. . Lowenstein . P. L. . Riley . S. J. . Blong . R. J. . De Saint Ours . P. . Talai . B. .
17. Web site: Hibok-Hibok Volcano . . John Seach.
18. Web site: Hibok-Hibok at Camiguin Philippines . Bohol Philippines.
19. Web site: Mayon Volcano, Philippines . . John Seach.
20. Web site: Ecuador Volcanoes . World Data.
21. Web site: L'eruzione del 1906. Vesuvius Observatory. it.
22. News: Conred cifra en 332 el número de desaparecidos por erupción volcánica. Paredes. Enrique. 4 July 2018. Prensa Libre. 5 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180704211535/http://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/comunitario/erupcion-volcan-de-fuego-conred-cifra-en-332-el-numero-de-desaparecidos-por-erupcion-volcanica. 4 July 2018. live. Morales. Sergio. Guatemala. Conred: 332 the number of missing due to volcanic eruption.
23. Web site: Paluweh volcano eruptions - eruptive history, info / VolcanoDiscovery .
24. Web site: INHABITANTS OF ISLAND ALL KILLED BY VOLCANO:; The 150 Japanese Residents of Torishima Dead – Eruption Still Proceeding..
25. Report on Dieng Volcanic Complex (Indonesia) — March 1979 . . Smithsonian Institution. 10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN197903-263200 .
26. [:ja:十勝岳#噴火史#大正噴火]
27. Web site: Dieng Volcanic Complex . 29 September 2010 . Oregon State University.
28. Web site: Arenal Volcano 1968 eruption . Arenal.net . 2015-06-19.
29. Report on Marapi (Indonesia) — May 1979 . . Smithsonian Institution. 10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN197905-261140 .
30. Web site: Mayon Volcano | Eruption, History, & Facts | Britannica . 7 March 2024 .
31. Report on Nyiragongo . . Smithsonian Institution. 10.5479/si.GVP.NSEB197703-223030 .
32. Rizzo. Andrea Luca. Caracausi. Antonio. Chavagnac. Valèrie. Nomikou. Paraskevi. Polymenakou. Paraskevi N.. Mandalakis. Manolis. Kotoulas. Georgios. Magoulas. Antonios. Castillo. Alain. Lampridou. Danai. 2016-06-17. Kolumbo submarine volcano (Greece): An active window into the Aegean subduction system. Scientific Reports. en. 6. 1. 28013. 10.1038/srep28013. 27311383. 4911562. 2016NatSR...628013R. 2045-2322.
33. Web site: Mount Merapi . . The editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica.
34. News: Japan's Sakurajima volcano due for major eruption within 30 years, say scientists. BBC News. 14 September 2016. 24 February 2017.
35. Book: Simkin. T.. Siebert. L.. 1994. Volcanoes of the World. 163–176. Geoscience Press. Tucson, Arizona. 978-0-945005-12-4. Fatalities and Evacuations. 2nd.
36. Web site: The La Soufrière National Park . UNESCO.
37. Web site: ASTER Images Mt. Usu Volcano . . Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
38. Web site: Mount Unzen . . The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Accessed 17 July 2022
39. Report on Kelud (Indonesia) — January 1990 . . Smithsonian Institution. 10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199001-263280 .
40. Web site: 66. Beyonesu (Bayonnaise) Rocks (including Myojinsho). Japan Meteorological Agency. English. 26 March 2017.
41. Web site: Rinjani Volcano . . John Seach.
42. Web site: Villarrica volcano, Chile . Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences.
43. Web site: Sansivero . Fabio . Osservatorio Vesuviano - Monte Nuovo . 2022-07-11 . www.ov.ingv.it . it-IT.
44. Web site: Villarrica volcano, Chile . Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences.
45. Web site: The victims of Montserrat's volcano tragedy deserve an investigation. The Guardian. 25 June 2012.
46. Web site: Indonesian volcano Mount Sinabung eruption causes 16 deaths. The Independent. 2 February 2014.
47. Web site: Villarrica volcano, Chile . Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences.
48. Report on Raikoke (Russia) — August 2019 . . Smithsonian Institution.
49. Web site: Indonesia: At least 10 dead after Mount Lewotobi volcano erupts . 2024-11-10 . www.bbc.com . en-GB.
50. Web site: ingvvulcani. 2019-09-12. Una tragica estate. L'eruzione dell'Etna del 1979. 2021-11-07. INGVvulcani. it-IT.
51. Report on Dieng Volcanic Complex (Indonesia) — October 2017 . . Smithsonian Institution. 10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN201710-263200 .
52. Web site: Kuchinoerabu-jima volcano eruptions . . Dr. Tom Pfeiffer.
53. Web site: Kelud . Global Volcanism Program . 20 January 2022.
54. News: Volcano erupts off Yemen, soldiers killed . 20 January 2022 . Reuters . 1 October 2007.
55. Web site: Karangetang [Api Siau] . 24 April 2011 .
56. Report on Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) . . 1994 . 19 . 9 . Smithsonian Institution. 10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199409-252140 .
57. Web site: Hudson . . Smithsonian Institution.
58. Web site: Gamalama Volcano . . John Seach.
59. Report on Yakedake (Japan) — February 1995 . . Smithsonian Institution. 10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199502-283070 .
60. Di Roberto. A.. Bertagnini. A.. Pompilio. M.. Bisson. M.. 2014-05-15. Pyroclastic density currents at Stromboli volcano (Aeolian Islands, Italy): a case study of the 1930 eruption. Bulletin of Volcanology. en. 76. 6. 827. 10.1007/s00445-014-0827-5. 2014BVol...76..827D. 129565883. 1432-0819.
61. News: Death toll climbs to 3 from Guatemala volcano . . 2010-05-28 . 2022-06-10.
62. Web site: Canlaon Volcano Eruption. aenet.org. December 13, 2015.
63. Web site: Global Volcanism Program | Didicas .
64. News: 2 Killed as Volcano Erupts in El Salvador . 20 January 2022 . Los Angeles Times . 2 October 2022.
65. News: Javan volcano eruption kills two . BBC News. 8 June 2004 . 2014-05-06.
66. Web site: Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico): one fatality and two injured after being hit by rock during eruption . 2022-06-25 . www.volcanodiscovery.com . en.
67. News: 2019-07-03. Stromboli: One dead as volcano erupts on Italian island. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-09-27.
68. News: One dead as Chilean volcano spews ash for third day. https://web.archive.org/web/20160125060324/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-chile-volcano-idUKN0221354320080504. dead. 25 January 2016. Uk.reuters.com. 4 May 2008. 9 June 2017.
69. News: 2006-03-21. Fate dealt eruption victim unlucky hand. en-GB. NZ Herald. 2021-12-10.
70. Web site: Deadly Gases. Oregon State University. 14 April 2010 .
71. Web site: Which Way The Wind Blows – The Reykjavik Grapevine. The Reykjavik Grapevine. 26 September 2014.
72. Book: Man Against Volcano: The Eruption on Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland . . R.S. . Williams Jr. . J.G. . Moore . 1983 . 11. 2nd .