Largest volcanic eruptions since 1900

[HurricaneBill]

1929
Volcano: Komagatake
Location: Japan
VEI: 4
The 1929 eruption of Komagatake caused widespread damage and killed 2 people.

[HurricaneBill]

The 1930s had 8 eruptions that were VEI4 or higher. (6 were VEI4; 2 were VEI5)

1931
Volcano: Kliuchevskoi
Location: Russia (Kamchatka)
VEI: 4
Kliuchevskoi is the highest and most active of all the volcanoes in Kamchatka. It is known for the beautiful symmetry of its cone. It is reported that several climbers were killed during the 1931 eruption.

[HurricaneBill]

1931
Volcano: Aniakchak
Location: USA (Alaska)
VEI: 4
The spectacular Aniakchak caldera is 10km wide. The 1931 eruption occurred in the crater towards the bottom of the picture, left of center.

[HurricaneBill]

1932
Volcano: Volcan De Fuego
Location: Guatemala
VEI: 4
Volcan De Fuego is one of Central America's most active volcanoes.

[HurricaneBill]

1932
Volcano: Cerro Azul
Location: Chile
VEI: 5
The eruption occurred at Quizapu Crater, which is located on the northern flank of Cerro Azul.

[HurricaneBill]

1933
Volcano: Kharimkotan
Location: Russia (Kuril Islands)
VEI: 5
This eruption caused the central cone to collapse and produced a debris avalanche. The avalanche caused a tsunami that swept nearby islands, killing 2. The lava dome in the picture formed towards the end of the eruption.

[HurricaneBill]

1933
Volcano: Suoh
Location: Indonesia
VEI: 4
This eruption occurred as a result of an earthquake.

[HurricaneBill]

1933
Volcano: Kuchinoerabujima
Location: Japan
VEI: 4
The eruption occurred from a cone named Shindake. A village NE of Shindake was destroyed by the eruption. 8 people were killed and 26 injured.

[HurricaneBill]

1937
Volcano: Rabaul
Location: Papua New Guinea
VEI: 4
The town of Rabaul is located on the rim of the Rabaul Caldera. It is between two volcanic vents, Mt. Tavurvur and Vulcan. In 1937, both volcanoes erupted, killing 507 people.

[HurricaneBill]

The 1940s had only 4 eruptions rating VEI4 or higher. All 4 were VEI4s.

1943
Volcano: Paricutin
Location: Mexico
VEI: 4
A farmer, his wife, and son were plowing their cornfield when a fissure suddenly opened up and started erupting smoke and ash. They had just witnessed the birth of a cinder cone volcano. The volcano quickly grew in height and became a popular tourist attraction. The eruption of Paricutin killed 3 people and eventually destroyed the village it was named after. In 1952, after 9 years of erupting, Paricutin ceased activity. Paricutin is believed to be a monogenetic cinder cone, meaning it will never erupt again.
Although many cinder cones are monogenetic, not all are. Cerro Negro, for example, is a polygenetic cinder cone.

[HurricaneBill]

1945
Volcano: Avachinsky (This was Avachinsky's second VEI4 eruption since 1900)
Location: Russia (Kamchatka)
VEI: 4
After this eruption, Avachinsky would become quiescent until 1991.

[HurricaneBill]

1946
Volcano: Sarychev Peak
Location: Russia (Kuril Islands)
VEI: 4
Sarychev Peak is one of the most active volcanoes on the Kuril Islands.

[HurricaneBill]

1947
Volcano: Hekla
Location: Iceland
VEI: 4
Hekla is Iceland's most famous volcano and is nicknamed the "Gateway to Hell". The 1947 eruption killed 1 person.

[HurricaneBill]

The 1950s had 7 eruptions that measured VEI4 or higher. (6 VEI4s; 1 VEI5)

1950
Volcano: Ambrym
Location: Vanuatu
VEI: 4
Located on the island of Ambrym, Ambrym volcano is one of the world's most active volcanoes. The volcano consists of two cones, Benbow and Marum. The 1950 eruption occurred in the cone known as Benbow.

[HurricaneBill]

1951
Volcano: Mt. Lamington
Location: Papua New Guinea
VEI: 4
The eruption of Mt. Lamington was one of the worst eruptions of the decade. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in pyroclastic flows. Geologists were not even aware that Lamington was a volcano. Reasons for this included: Lamington had been quiescent for at least 6,500 years; Lamington was covered by dense forests; The local people living on Lamington's flanks had no stories of previous eruptions.

[HurricaneBill]

1951
Volcano: Kelud (This was Kelud's second VEI4 eruption since 1900)
Location: Indonesia
VEI: 4
Following the devastating eruption in 1919, tunnels were made to drain the crater lake in Kelud. The tunnels successfully reduced the depth of the lake by 50m. As a result, the 1951 eruption only killed 7 people. However, the tunnels were damaged and had to be repaired. Also, the 1951 eruption had deepened the crater lake by 70m.

[HurricaneBill]

1952
Volcano: Bagana
Location: Papua New Guinea
VEI: 4
Bagana is one of Melanesia's youngest volcanoes. It may have formed as recently as 300 years ago.

[HurricaneBill]

1953
Volcano: Mt. Spurr
Location: USA (Alaska)
VEI: 4
This was Mt. Spurr's first eruption in recorded history.

[HurricaneBill]

1955
Volcano: Carran-Los Venados
Location: Chile
VEI: 4
Carran-Los Venados is a 17km-long group of about 50 scoria cones, maars, and a small stratovolcano. The 1955 eruption occurred at the Carran maar and killed 2 people.

[HurricaneBill]

1956
Volcano: Bezymianny
Location: Russia (Kamchatka)
VEI: 5
Bezymianny had been quiescent for over 1,000 years and some even considered it extinct. In late 1955, the volcano rumbled back to life. On March 30, 1956, Bezymianny exploded. The eruption caused the summit to collapse and produced a massive debris avalanche. The ash column reached heights of 45km. Fortunately, the area around Bezymianny is uninhabited. In many ways, Bezymianny's eruption was similar to the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens.

The eruption left a large horseshoe shaped crater in Bezymianny. Since then, Bezymianny has been constantly active. Lava dome growth has pretty much filled up the crater from the 1956 eruption.

This picture was taken 100km away from the volcano.