Eruption of Mt Vesuvius 79 AD
On August
24, the city of Pompeii was hit by one of the most famous and
destructive volcanic eruptions of all time which lasted 24 hours and destroyed
the entire city. The volcano was Mt. Vesuvius, a still active volcano located
on the Gulf of Naples, towering above the city of Pompeii.
Four days prior to the eruption, Pompeii had experienced a series of violent earthquakes. According to a letter written by a man called Pliny the Younger, to a well-respected historian Publius Cornelius Tacitus, he wrote that the quakes "were not particularly alarming because they are frequent in Campania".
It wasn't until mid-afternoon when a great plume of ash erupted from Mt. Vesuvius that people began to worry or panic. This ash cloud rose 20,000 meters into the air before westerly winds blew it towards Pompeii, causing the ash to descend at an alarming rate of 15 cm per hour.
By 4 pm the city had been covered in a thick layer of volcanic ash. When a great pressure forced the creator to erupt, it sent tonnes of pumice stones and hardened lava rocks rocketing towards Pompeii. The pelting from volcanic rock and pumice caused great amounts of damage, causing house structures already weak from tremors to collapse with the build-up of debris. Many people were affected by this process as many exposed people were wounded from this or at times were killed instantly from direct hit to sensitive areas such as the head.
The mountain began to emit poisonous gases as the earth continues to shake, many fled to the sea, hoping to make an escape. Their efforts hopeless as pumice and rough seas prevent their escape.
The large ash cloud cast a gigantic shadow over Pompeii, turning the afternoon sunlight into near complete darkness. When the ash cloud reached its peak of 20,000 meters, it suddenly descended triggering a pyroclastic surge heading straight for the city of Pompeii. It travelled at 100 km per hour at temperatures up to 300 degrees Celsius every person in its path were exposed to the full force of the surge. Bodies were burnt to the bone in seconds and died instantly.
The death toll was estimated half the population – roughly 3360 – in Pompeii but many thousands more in neighbouring cities which were also affected. Between 6 am and 8 am, more pyroclastic surges occur killing those left and destroying remaining buildings. The town was covered in up to 5 meters of volcanic rock, pumice and ash. As it hardened over time, it protected the city, leaving behind a preserved piece of history where for thousands of years it was lost and forgotten by all until 1748 when it was re discovered and excavated.
Four days prior to the eruption, Pompeii had experienced a series of violent earthquakes. According to a letter written by a man called Pliny the Younger, to a well-respected historian Publius Cornelius Tacitus, he wrote that the quakes "were not particularly alarming because they are frequent in Campania".
It wasn't until mid-afternoon when a great plume of ash erupted from Mt. Vesuvius that people began to worry or panic. This ash cloud rose 20,000 meters into the air before westerly winds blew it towards Pompeii, causing the ash to descend at an alarming rate of 15 cm per hour.
By 4 pm the city had been covered in a thick layer of volcanic ash. When a great pressure forced the creator to erupt, it sent tonnes of pumice stones and hardened lava rocks rocketing towards Pompeii. The pelting from volcanic rock and pumice caused great amounts of damage, causing house structures already weak from tremors to collapse with the build-up of debris. Many people were affected by this process as many exposed people were wounded from this or at times were killed instantly from direct hit to sensitive areas such as the head.
The mountain began to emit poisonous gases as the earth continues to shake, many fled to the sea, hoping to make an escape. Their efforts hopeless as pumice and rough seas prevent their escape.
The large ash cloud cast a gigantic shadow over Pompeii, turning the afternoon sunlight into near complete darkness. When the ash cloud reached its peak of 20,000 meters, it suddenly descended triggering a pyroclastic surge heading straight for the city of Pompeii. It travelled at 100 km per hour at temperatures up to 300 degrees Celsius every person in its path were exposed to the full force of the surge. Bodies were burnt to the bone in seconds and died instantly.
The death toll was estimated half the population – roughly 3360 – in Pompeii but many thousands more in neighbouring cities which were also affected. Between 6 am and 8 am, more pyroclastic surges occur killing those left and destroying remaining buildings. The town was covered in up to 5 meters of volcanic rock, pumice and ash. As it hardened over time, it protected the city, leaving behind a preserved piece of history where for thousands of years it was lost and forgotten by all until 1748 when it was re discovered and excavated.