At least three hikers were killed after Mount Dukono erupted in Indonesia on May 8, triggering a rescue operation for more than a dozen hikers stranded near the crater. The group had been trekking on the Indonesian island of Halmahera, in North Maluku province, despite safety warnings. Singaporean nationals and an Indonesian citizen were among those killed. The volcano sent a massive ash plume into the sky, complicating rescue efforts, while authorities worked to evacuate survivors and monitor the highly active volcano, which has erupted multiple times in recent months.
Mount Dukono is just one example of the immense and often unpredictable power of volcanoes. From Vesuvius to Laki, we've seen some monstrous eruptions of volcanoes throughout history. Most of these volcanoes are stratovolcanoes, meaning cone-shaped elevations that were built over time from layers of ash and lava. Due to their relatively soft composition, pressure builds up inside until they blow up, which results in sudden explosive eruptions. Their steep slopes then generate pyroclastic flows, making them some of the most dangerous types of volcanoes.
The power of such eruptions is measured using the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), which is a scale that goes from one to eight. Each succeeding VEI is 10 times greater than the last. Need examples? Click on to find out!