The most active volcano in the world
Monday, June 6, 2011 at 06:01PM The most active volcano in the world
(Powerful, 400 m high eruption from the central vent of Stromboli volcano - http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/photos/strombolian_eruptions/image99.html)
Volcanoes occur throughout the entire world. They allow the extreme heat deep within the Earth's mantle to escape through the surface of the planet. During the lifespan of Earth, there has probably been millions of active volcanoes. In the last 10,000 years, the number of active volcanoes (on land) is believed to be approximately 1,500. From these 1,500 volcanoes, about 50-70 are actively erupting each year.
So, what is the most active volcano in the world?
Many people believe that Kīlauea (located in the Hawaiian Islands) is the most active volcano in the world. Kīlauea is certainly one of the most active volcanoes and emits more lava than almost any other known volcano, but that is precisely what it is - it is only one of the most active volcanoes.
There is another volcano that erupts more frequently than Kīlauea. The Stromboli volcano, located off the coast of Sicily, Italy, has been erupting nearly continuously for over 2,000 years!
Stromboli produces dazzling, brilliant explosions that are often visible from the surrounding sea. This is why the volcano has been given the nickname "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean".
Due to Stromboli's regular activity, the volcano has long attracted visitors from all over the world. Most of its activity consists of short bursts of radiating lava fragments that reach heights of 100-200 meters above its craters! Typically, these small eruptions will occur each hour. Stromboli's activity is almost entirely explosive, but lava flows have occurred from time to time. In the past 100 years, its most violent eruptions took place in 1919, 1930, and 2003. The largest of these eruptions occurred in 1930, and sadly resulted in the loss of several lives and the destruction of property at considerable range from the craters. These rare, effusive eruptions with lava flow are unpredictable, and take place at irregular intervals ranging from a few years to decades.
For tourists, the Stromboli volcano is regarded as being very safe. The risk of being caught in a larger and more sudden explosion is quite low. And the further risk of being hit by an ejected fragment in such a situation is even lower. The number of accidents compared to the number of visitors at the crater over the years is extremely small.