Mt. Vesuvius Poses Imminent Danger
By Mitch Battros
Vesuvius is a complex volcano. I have recently learned, Vesuvius is part of a Super-Volcano named "Somma". Mt. Vesuvius sits in a caldera formed about 34,000 years ago. It is known as the 'Somma Caldera'. This is much the same as Northern America's Yellowstone Super-Volcano.
>From 1983-1985 an area of 31 square miles (80 square kilometers) was uplifted, in places up to 5.9 feet (1.8 meters), damaging homes, the harbor, and the tourist industry. In 5960 B.C. and 3580 B.C., Vesuvius had two eruptions that rate among the largest known in Europe. The area was frequently jolted by large earthquakes. The decorative stonework records the damage caused by an earlier earthquake, perhaps the earthquake of 62 A.D. that preceded the 79 A.D. eruption.
Vesuvius is a dangerous and deadly volcano. Mudflows and lava flows from the eruption in 1631 killed 3,500 people. About 3,360 people died in the 79 A.D. eruption from ash flows and falls. Studies of past eruptions and their deposits continue. These studies help volcanologists understand the hazards associated with future eruptions. The population density in some areas of high risk is 20,000 to 30,000 per square km. About 3 million people could be seriously affected by future eruptions. In the first 15 minutes of a medium- to large-scale eruption, those living in an area within a 4 mile (7 km) radius of the volcano, could be destroyed.
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