Krakatoa

Location: Indonesia

Krakatoa (or Krakatau) volcano was located on the island of Rakata, 25 miles off the west coast of Java. Since early historic ages, volcanic activity has been known to exist in the region. However, in 1883, this area saw the most violent volcanic eruption ever recorded.

When Krakatau erupted, three-quarters of the island of Rakata collapsed into its cavity, 1,000 feet below sea level. So violent was the eruption that more than 25 billion cubic metres of volcanic ash, rock and pumice was ejected, which drifted nearly 4,000 miles to the west. The volcanic dust veil lowered global temperatures, which did not return to normal until 5 years later.

The cataclysmic explosion was heard as far away as Perth in Australia and the island of Rodrigues 2,891 miles away across the Indian Ocean. A massive tsunami reaching heights of 130 feet followed, destroying 165 villages and killing an estimated 36,417 people.

Since the disappearance of Krakatau, smaller eruptions have been observed. The ocean floor has been since gradually rising, eventually giving birth in 1927 to a new island, north of what remains of Rakata. Today, Anak Krakatau (Son of Krakatau) rises more than 650 feet above sea level with the diameter of over a mile.