100 Years Ago the Biggest Volcanic Eruption of the 20th Century Rocked Alaska
“People in Juneau, Alaska, about 750 miles from the volcano, heard the sound of the blast – over one hour after it occurred.”
(Aerial view of 80-m (260 ft)-high Novarupta. Credit: C. Nye/http://pubs.usgs.gov)
Next week marks the 100 year anniversary of the Novarupta Volcano eruption on the Alaskan Peninsula — the most forceful volcano eruption of the 20th century. How big was it? According to NASA:
- It expelled three cubic MILES of magma and ash.
- When all of that stuff landed it covered an area of 3,000 square miles.
- All that magma and ash on the ground was a foot deep.
- According to Geology.com, “people in Juneau, Alaska, about 750 miles from the volcano, heard the sound of the blast – over one hour after it occurred.”
- The ash in the sky blocked out the sun on Kodiak Island.
