Mt Pinatubo Flashcards
(16 cards)
What volcano erupted in the Philippines in 1991?
Mount Pinatubo
What was the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) of the eruption?
VEI of 6
How long had Mount Pinatubo been dormant before the 1991 eruption?
500 years
What was the population of the villages on its slopes and the surrounding region?
30,000 on the slopes; around 1 million in the region
When did monitoring of Mount Pinatubo begin?
No monitoring until 3rd April 1991
Which organisations helped monitor and predict the eruption?
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and United States Geological Survey (USGS)
What did accurate predictions by PHIVOLCS and USGS allow?
Timely evacuations that saved thousands of lives and millions in property damage
How many people were killed in the eruption?
847 people
What were the main causes of death?
300 from collapsing roofs, 100 from mudflows (lahars)
How many people were evacuated?
75,000 people
What was the cost of damages caused by the eruption?
$700 million
What additional hazard followed the eruption?
Lahars (mudflows)
What infrastructure was built in response to the lahars?
Dams were constructed to control lahars
What long-term recovery effort was needed?
Recovery costs totalled billions of Philippine pesos
How many lives do USGS and PHIVOLCS estimate were saved due to forecasting?
Between 5,000 and 20,000 lives
What actions did people in the lowlands take due to the eruption warnings?
Many fled to safer towns or took shelter in buildings with strong roofs
