VOLCANIC HAZARD

 This module provides a common spring board for discussion

of volcanic hazard by distinguishing different volcano hazard
and recognizing signs of impeding volcanic eruption. Further,
appropriate measures/interventions before, during and after
volcanic eruption will be accounted for preparing for and
reducing the effects of disaster
AIMS At the end of the session, the learners should
be able to:
 Explain various volcano-related hazard;
 Differentiate among different volcano hazards;
 Recognize sign of an impending volcanic eruption;
Interpret different volcano hazard maps; and
 Apply appropriate measures/interventions before,
during, and after volcanic eruption
Volcanic eruption are one of the earth’s most dramatic and violent
agents of change. Not only can powerful explosive eruptions
drastically alter land and water for tens of kilometer around a
volcano, but tiny liquid droplet of sulfuric acid erupted into the
stratosphere can change our planet’s climate temporarily.

Eruptions often force people living near the volcanoes to

abandon their lands and homes, sometimes forever. Those living
farther away are likely to avoid the complete destruction, but their
cities and towns, crops, industrial plants, transportation system, and
electrical grids can still be damaged by tephra, ash, lahars, and
flooding. Fortunately, volcanoes exhibit precursory unrest that if
detected and analyzed in time allows eruptions to be anticipated
and communities at risk to be forewarned with reliable information
in sufficient time to implement response plans and mitigation
measures.
1.Pyroclastic Density Currents ( pyroclastic flow and
surges)
2.Lahars
3.Ash fall
4 Lava flows
5.Tephra fall and ballistic projectiles
6.Volcanic gasses

Potential Volcano-related hazards

These are gravity-driven, rapidly moving,
ground-hugging mixtures of rock fragments
and hot gases. This mixture forms a dense
fluid that moves along the ground with an
upper part that is less dense as particles fall
toward the ground.

Pyroclastic Density
Current
The behavior fluid depends on the amount of gases
(i.e. solids-gas ratio). High concentration density
flows are called “pyroclastic flows” and are
essentially no turbulent and confined to valleys.
Low concentration density are called “pyroclastic
surges” which can expand over hill and valley like
hurricanes. Temperatures may be as hot as 900
degrees Celsius, or as cold as steam

Pyroclastic Density
Current
Pyroclastic flows and surges are
potentially highly destructive owing to
their mass, high temperature, high
velocity and great mobility. Deadly
effects include asphyxiation, burial,
incineration and crushing from impacts.

Pyroclastic Density
Current
 Lahars are part of the family of debris flows that are
fluids composed of mixtures of water particles of all sizes
form clay-size to gigantic boulders.
 The abundance of solid matter carries the water, unlike
watery floods where water carries the fragments.
 Debris flows have the viscous consistency of wet
concrete, and there is a complete transition to watery
floods.

Lahars
Lahars are composed of volcanic particles and
originate directly or indirectly form volcanic
eruptions. These can be formed by hot
pyroclastic surges or flows entering watershed
systems or flowing over snow and ice, by
eruptions through crater lakes, by heavy rains on
loose volcanic debris-- that is any process by
which volcanic particles can become saturated by
water and move downslopes.

Lahars
They can move with velocities as low as 1.3 m/s to as
great as 40 m/s on steep slopes (1 m/s = 2.55 miles
per hour). They are known to have travelled as far as
300 km (1 km = 0.63 miles).
Lahars can transform into regular floods as they
become increasingly diluted with water downstream.
This phenomenon was first discovered at Mount St.
Helens where hot pyroclastic surges transformed to
lahars, which further transformed to hyper
concentrated stream flow and then to normal stream
flow turbulence (floods).

Lahars
Ash falls are less dangerous to human life than to
property, traffic and communication because probable
path, of lava flow can be roughly predicted diversion
measures, cool advancing front with water, or
disruption of source of measures, are often turn out to
not be successful. Highly viscous lava generally does
not advance far, but commonly piles, up above a active
vent as a lava dome. Such domes can collapse
repeatedly and generate dangerous not block and ash
flows and surges and blasts.

Ash Falls
Lava flow rarely threaten human life because lava
usually moves slowly– a few centimeters per hour for
silicic flow to several km/hour for basaltic flow. An
exceptionally fast flow (extremely rare) at Mt.
Nyiragongo Zaire (30-100 km/ hour) overwhelming
about 300 people. Major hazard of lava flow– burying,
crushing, covering, burning everything in their path.
Sometimes lava melts ice and snow to cause floods and
lahars. Lava flow can dam rivers to form lake that
might overflow and break their dams causing floods.

Lava Flow
Method for controlling path of lava flows:
1.Construct barriers and diversion channels,
2.Cool advancing front with water,
3.Discruption of source of advancing front
lava flow by explosives.

Lava Flow
Formed on land, tephra consists of pyroclastic fragments of
any size and origin. It is a synonym for “pyroclastic
material”. Material may be juvenile (formed of magma
involved in the eruption) or accidental (derived from pre-
existing rock).

Tephra Falls and Ballistic

Projectiles
Tephra fall and ballistic projectiles endanger life
and property by (1) force of impact of falling
fragments, but this occurs only close to an
eruption. (2) loss of agricultural lands if burial is
greater than 10 cm depth, (3) producing suspension
of fine-grained particles in air and water which
clogs filters and vents of motors, human gases,
acids, salts, and, close to the vent, heat.

Tephra Falls and Ballistic

Projectiles
Burial by tephra can collapse roofs of buildings,
break power and communication lines and damage
or kill vegetation. Even thin falls of ash can
damage such critical facilities as hospitals, electric
generating plants, pumping stations, storm sewers
and surface-drainage systems and sewage treatment
plants, and short circuit electric-transmission
facilities, radio and television transmitters.

Tephra Falls and Ballistic

Projectiles
Low permeability of fine ash deposits leads to
increase runoff, accelerated erosion, stream channel
changes and hazardous floods, in contrast, thick,
coarse-grained deposits closed to the source can
increase infiltration capacity and essentially
eliminate surface runoff.

Tephra Falls and Ballistic

Projectiles
Many of the hazards of tephra can be mitigated
with proper planning and preparation. This
includes clearing tephra from roofs and walls,
designing filters for machinery, wearing
respirators or wet clothes over the mouth and
nose because tephra can contain harmful gases
absorbed on the particles and acid aerosols and
salt particles

Tephra Falls and Ballistic

Projectiles
Magma is molten rocks containing dissolved gases
that are released to the atmosphere during an
eruption and while the magma lies close to the
surface from hydrothermal systems. The most
abundant volcanic gas is water vapor; other
important gases are carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide, sulfur oxides, hydrogen sulfide, chlorine
and fluorine react with water to form poisonous acids
damaging to the eyes, skin, and respiratory systems
of animals even in very small concentrations.

Volcanic Gas
The acids can destroy vegetation, fabrics and
metals. Atmospheric veils of dust or acid
aerosols caused by large-volume explosive
eruptions can affect regional or global
climate.

Volcanic Gas
Most volcanic gases are noxious and smell
bad, but they can cause mass fatalities. A
rare case of mass deaths by volcanic gases in
1986 at Lake Nyos, in Cameroon, West
Africa. Tons of carbon dioxide spilled out of
Lake Nyos, and flowed slightly down a
canyon and through 3 villages occupied by
1700 people. They and 3000 cattle died
instantly from lack of oxygen.

Volcanic Gas
Thank you for
listening!!!