Largest volcanic eruptions since 1900

[HurricaneBill]

Here's a list of volcanic eruptions that measured VEI4 or higher on the Volcano Explosivity Index.

The 1900s had five eruptions measuring VEI4+. Four of these eruptions occurred in 1902.

1902
Volcano: La Soufriere
Location: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
VEI: 4
This volcano erupted only one day prior to nearby Mt. Pelee in Martinique. The eruption killed 1,680 people.

[HurricaneBill]

1902
Volcano: Mount Pelee
Location: Martinique
VEI: 4
The 1902 eruption of Mt. Pelee was the deadliest eruption of the 20th century. At least 29,000 people lost their lives. The city of Saint Pierre was wiped out by pyroclastic flows. Only a handful of people actually within the city limits survived.

[HurricaneBill]

1902
Volcano: Santa Maria
Location: Guatemala
VEI: 6
Santa Maria had been in a state of quiescence for at least 500 to several thousand years. Therefore, local people weren't aware of the warning signs of an impending eruption. The eruption was one of the largest of the 20th century. Up to 6,000 people were killed.

[HurricaneBill]

1902
Volcano: Grimsvotn
Location: Iceland
VEI: 4
Grimsvotn is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes. Although eruptions tend to be VEI2, the explosive eruption of 1902 was rather large and measured a 4.

Grimsvotn volcano is mostly covered by a glacier.

[HurricaneBill]

1907
Volcano: Ksudach
Location: Russia (Kamchatka)
VEI: 5
One of the most powerful eruptions to occur in Kamchatka, Ksudach's 1907 eruption sent ash falling more than 200km away. Due to its remote location, Ksudach's threat to people is minimal.

[HURAKAN]

Interesting info!!!

[gigabite]

1902
Volcano: Grimsvotn
Location: Iceland
VEI: 4
Grimsvotn is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes. Although eruptions tend to be VEI2, the explosive eruption of 1902 was rather large and measured a 4.

I didn't have this one on my list. The eruption started in december 1902. Do you know the day?

[HurricaneBill]

The 1910s had 9 eruptions that measured VEI4 or higher. (7 VEI4s, 1 VEI5, and 1 VEI6)

1911
Volcano: Mount Lolobau
Location: Papua New Guinea
VEI: 4
Lolobau is located on the western rim of a caldera on Lolobau Island. (Lolobau is left of the center of the photo. In the foreground is the slope of another volcano, Ulawun.)

[Macrocane]

1902 was incredibly active Interesting info, thanks! I will be waiting for more posts.

[HurricaneBill]

1912
Volcano: Novarupta
Location: USA (Alaska)
VEI: 6
This was the largest eruption of the 20th century. Fortunately, due to Novarupta's remote location, there were no fatalities. The eruption actually drained magma from underneath nearby Mt. Katmai. This caused Katmai to collapse into a caldera and lead scientists to initially think that Katmai had the eruption. The ashflow from Novarupta created the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. At the end of the eruption, a small lava dome capped the vent.

[HurricaneBill]

1913
Volcano: Colima
Location: Mexico
VEI: 5
Despite its name, only a small portion of the Colima volcano actually lies in the Mexican state of Colima. Colima is one of Mexico's most active volcanoes. The massive eruption of 1913 left a large summit crater on Colima. The crater has long since filled up due to Colima's constant eruptions.

Colima is considered Mexico's most dangerous volcano.

[HurricaneBill]

1914
Volcano: Sakurajima
Location: Japan
VEI: 4
A series of earthquakes warned the residents of Kagoshima that an eruption was imminent and the city evacuated. Sakurajima's lava flows from the eruption resulted in the island becoming connected to the mainland. Since 1955, Sakurajima has been in a constant state of activity. Eruptions occur daily. Sakurajima is Japan's most active and most dangerous volcano.

[HurricaneBill]

1916
Volcano: Tungurahua
Location: Ecuador
VEI: 4
Tungurahua is Ecuador's most active volcano.

[HurricaneBill]

1917
Volcano: Agrihan
Location: Northern Mariana Islands
VEI: 4
Agrihan was inhabited until 1990, when the island was evacuated due to the threat of an eruption. Ultimately, an eruption never occurred, but resettlement did not begin to occur until 2005.

[HurricaneBill]

1918
Volcano: Katla
Location: Iceland
VEI: 4
Like Grimsvotn, Katla is covered by a glacier. After the 2010 eruption of nearby Eyjafjallajokull, there was concern it might trigger an eruption of Katla. In Eyjafjallajokull's previous 3 eruptions, Katla also erupted. So far, Katla has not erupted. However, harmonic tremors did occur in October 2010. Katla eventually produced a VEI0 subglacial eruption in 2011.

Katla has been quiescent since its 1918 eruption. However, it is possible subglacial eruptions may have occurred in 1955 and 1999. Since 1999, Katla has been showing signs of unrest, including after the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull. Despite a small subglacial eruption in 2011, the threat of a large explosive eruption remains.

[HurricaneBill]

1919
Volcano: Kelud
Location: Indonesia
VEI: 4
Kelud is one of Indonesia's most dangerous volcanoes. It contains a crater lake that has mixed with volcanic debris during eruptions and produced devastating lahars (mudflows). The 1919 eruption was Indonesia's deadliest of the 20th century. It was also the deadliest of the 1910s. The eruption and lahars claimed the lives of 5,190 people. After this eruption, an engineering project was created to build tunnels that would reduce the level of the crater lake. The tunnels succeeded in reducing the depth of the lake by 50m. However, this wouldn't be the last of Kelud's destructive eruptions.

[HurricaneBill]

1919
Volcano: Manam
Location: Papua New Guinea
VEI: 4
Manam is one of PNG's most active volcanoes.

[HurricaneBill]

The 1920s only had 4 eruptions that were VEI4 or higher. (All 4 were VEI4s.)

1924
Volcano: Raikoke
Location: Russia (Kuril Islands)
VEI: 4
Raikoke is an uninhabited island. Its name is derived from the Ainu language and means "hellmouth".

[HurricaneBill]

1924
Volcano: Iriomotejima
Location: Japan
VEI: 4

This is actually an undersea volcano located 25km NNE of the island of Iriomote-jima. The volcano's summit is 200m below sea level. (The red X marks the volcano's location.)

[HurricaneBill]

1926
Volcano: Avachinsky
Location: Russia (Kamchatka)
VEI: 4

Months after Avachinsky started erupting in 1926, nearby Koryaksky also erupted.