Volcanic Eruption Trends in Recent Years

Mount Merapi in Indonesia erupted on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, spewing hot lava and ash down its slopes and prompting more than 250 residents in surrounding areas to evacuate, according to a statement from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Indonesia has many volcanoes because it sits atop three tectonic plates: the Eurasian, Australian, and Pacific plates. Therefore, Indonesia is highly vulnerable to volcanic eruptions.

According to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), there were 121 volcanic eruptions in Indonesia between 2015 and 2021. In 2021, for example, there were three volcanic eruptions, including those of Mount Semeru and Mount Sinabung.

Between 2015 and 2021, the highest number of volcanic eruptions was recorded in 2018, with 63 eruptions. This was also the highest number in the last decade.

The world's largest volcanic eruption occurred in Indonesia, caused by the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815. The eruption of Mount Tambora had an impact even on Europe, which experienced no summer in 1816 due to Tambora's volcanic ash.

In 1883, the eruption of Krakatoa in the Sunda Strait killed 36,000-40,000 people and caused a tsunami. This eruption is estimated to have had an explosive power 30,000 times that of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. The eruption of Krakatoa caused the earth to be dark for 2.5 days due to volcanic dust covering the atmosphere.

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