Mount+Vesuvius,+Italy,+79+A.D.+(304)

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Nature of eruption/Materials produced in eruption __**// Type of eruption of Mt. Vesuvius is referred to as "Plinian."After many centuries of quiet, the eruption began at about noon on 24 August of A.D. 79, and lasted until the next day. Sometime during the preceding months there were the usual signs of an impending eruption, such as ground uplift and numerous small local earthquakes. 
 * Type of eruption of Mt. Vesuvius is referred to as "Plinian."
 * In such an eruption a column of various materials (called tephra) is ejected into the atmosphere, creating what looks like a mushroom cloud (or, perhaps, pine tree).
 * Mt. Vesuvius' column is projected to have reached about 66,000' in height.
 * Ash and pumice spread by the winds rained for about 18 hours.
 * Buildings started to collapse and people began to escape.
 * Then came high temperature, high velocity gases and dust, and more seismic activit

Before > > //**__ No. of casualties/Main cause of casualty __**// The 6th world’s worst volcano eruption is the eruption on April 24, AD 79 where the death Toll: is 10,000+. Mt. Vesuvius erupted and completely destroyed the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The eruption, which is said to have lasted 19 hours, buried Pompeii in ten feet of volcanic ash. The intense heat—perhaps as much as 750 degrees—carbonized much of the organic material in the area. Many of the victims have been found with the tops of their heads missing—their brains having boiled and exploded. It is the only active volcano in mainland Europe, and has produced some of the continent’s largest volcanic eruptions.
 * //__ Human response (before and after) __//**
 * People living around the volcano had the impression that Mount Vesuvius will not erupt, thus they were caught unaware and unprepared by the sudden eruption of the volcano.
 * Several months before the beginning of the eruption, people near the volcano felt some earthquakes (Braccini, 1632). They were not particularly scared because earthquakes from the nearby Apennine chain were often felt in the area (a large one had occurred three years before in Apulia, in 1628). The seismic activity became more severe in the few days before the eruption. Nevertheless, the awakening of Vesuvius in 1631 surprised the inhabitants.
 * The eruption of Mount Vesuvius and its resultants completely destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum.
 * Death toll in Pompeii: Estimated to be 10,000 to 25,000
 * Death toll in Herculaneum: Estimated to be 5,000
 * The hot ash formed casts around victims of the eruptions as they suffocated breathing it in.

**__ Main Cause of Casualty __** · Victims at Pompeii were found in ash fall deposits, majority inside buildings. · Killed mainly by roof collapses, · Some probably being killed by falling roof slates or by larger rocks from volcano · Pyroclastic surge deposits · Probably from a combination of suffocation through ash inhalation and blast and debris thrown around. In Herculaneum, the pyroclastic surges. Evidence of high temperatures found on the skeletons of the victims found in the arched vaults, and existence of carbonised wood in many of the buildings


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