“A beautiful disaster,” an iconic line from the Filipino movie
Crazy Beautiful You; reminds me of what a volcano was like the first time I saw
- Everything was calm and peaceful. It is beautifully perfect that you do not want to imagine how it is when it erupts.Speaking of volcanic eruptions, did you know that
there are volcanoes that haven't erupted yet?
Volcanoes can be classified into three: active, dormant, and extinct. Active volcanoes have a history of eruption and are likely to erupt again, while dormant volcanoes are those that haven't erupt for a long time but are expected to explode in the future, and lastly, the extinct volcanoes are those not expected to erupt in the future.
Talking about active volcanoes, the record shows that the most active volcanoes are found in the countries that are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire---a path along the Pacific Ocean where the majority of Earth’s volcanoes and earthquakes take place. The countries that are part of the Circum-Pacific Belt or the Pacific Ring of Fire include Canada, Chile, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Solomon Islands, United States, and Antarctica. Around 75% of the volcanoes in the world are in this area and are also prone to earthquakes. These countries are always in the news when talking about earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
In fact, the most active volcano in the world is Mt. Kilauea, in Hawaii, USA. (Guinness Book of World Records 2022). The world’s largest active volcano also was found on Hawaii island, which measures 13,677 ft., is Mt. Mauna Loa (Long Mountain in Hawaiian). No wonder they’re both found in Hawaii since the USA is a country that has the highest number of volcanoes and is part of those continents belonging to the Pacific Ring of Fire.
On the contrary, some volcanoes are not expected to erupt or never have a history of eruption. They're like sleeping giants whose lazy enough to explode. A perfect example is Mount Thielsen in Oregon in the US and Mount Slemish in Co. Antrim.
The volcano is beautiful at the same time as a disaster. It is mesmerizing to look at but turns into a dangerous one when it is about to explode. But even during its explosion, seeing how magma is up in the air and the lava flows was astonishing and somewhat creative by nature. When we see it in the news, it is truly mesmerizing and somehow magical, but, it also makes you want to get out of that place where it is happening; how much more if you're living near that area where an explosion is occurring. But why do people still stay near the mountains when they know how dangerous it can be when it explodes? What benefits them living near that area? Is it because of the beautiful scenery, or maybe it does help them economically?
According to experts, volcanoes can provide people with a lot of benefits. It includes a higher crop yield for farmers since the volcanic rocks and ashes make the soil fertile; tourism; gives additional income to the settlers and even to the local government of the place since tourists are attracted to the volcano. Apart from the people living, the environment also benefits from volcanic eruptions. It provides geothermal energy and atmospheric cooling; it gives raw materials, creates land formations, and many more.
Not all devastating phenomena are terrifying. It may be dangerous at times but seeing its benefits best explains that everything happens for a reason.
We must have to be responsible enough to enjoy its benefits.
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