Volcanic eruptions can be highly explosive . Some volcanoes have undergone catastrophic eruptions, killing large numbers of humans or other life forms. This list documents volcanic eruptions by human death toll.
Human death toll
Volcano
VEI
Location
Year
Eruption
Source(s)
71,000 to 250,100+
Mount Tambora
7
Indonesia
1815
1815 eruption of Mount Tambora , Year Without a Summer
36,000+
Krakatoa
6
Indonesia
1883
1883 eruption of Krakatoa
30,000
Mount Pelée
4
Martinique
1902
1902 eruption of Mount Pelée
23,000
Nevado del Ruiz
3
Colombia
1985
Armero tragedy
20,000~ (estimated)
Santorini
6
Greece
c. 1600 BC
Minoan eruption
15,000 to 20,000
Mount Samalas
7
Indonesia
1257
1257 Samalas eruption
15,000
Mount Unzen
2
Japan
1792
1792 Unzen earthquake and tsunami
13,000+ (estimated)
Mount Vesuvius
5
Italy
79
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD
10,000+
Laki and Grímsvötn
4
Iceland
1783
Laki 1783 eruption
[ 1]
10,000
Kelud
5
Indonesia
1586
[ 2]
6,000
Santa María
6
Guatemala
1902
1902 eruption of Santa María
[ 3]
5,160
Kelud
4
Indonesia
1919
[ 2]
4,011
Mount Galunggung
5
Indonesia
1822
[ 4]
3,360
Mount Vesuvius
5
Italy
1631
1631 eruption of Mount Vesuvius
3,000
Ritter Island
2
Papua New Guinea
1888
1888 Ritter Island eruption and tsunami
2,957
Mount Papandayan
3
Indonesia
1772
[ 5]
2,942
Mount Lamington
4
Papua New Guinea
1951
1951 eruption of Mount Lamington
2,806
Mount Awu
3
Indonesia
1856
[ 6]
2,033
Oshima Oshima
4
Japan
1741
1741 eruption of Oshima–Ōshima and the Kampo tsunami
2,000
Tseax Cone
?
Canada
1700 c. 1700
[ 7] [ 8]
1,900
El Chichón
5
Mexico
1982
[ 9]
1,700
Soufrière
4
St. Vincent
1902
[ 10]
1,584
Mount Agung
5
Indonesia
1963
1,532
Mount Awu
3
Indonesia
1892
[ 6]
1,500
Huaynaputina
6
Peru
1600
[ 11] [ 12]
1,369
Mount Merapi
3
Indonesia
1930
[ 13]
1,335
Taal
3
Philippines
1911
[ 14]
1,300
Gamalama
3
Indonesia
1775
[ 15]
1,200
Mount Mayon
4
Philippines
1814
[ 16]
1,151
Mount Asama
4
Japan
1783
Tenmei eruption
1,000
Nevado del Ruiz
3
Colombia
1845
[ 17]
847
Mount Pinatubo
6
Philippines
1991
1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo
700
Hokkaido Komagatake
5
Japan
1640
[ 18]
600
Nevado del Ruiz
4
Colombia
1595
[ 17]
507
Tavurvur
4
Papua New Guinea
1937
[ 19]
500
Hibok-Hibok
3
Philippines
1951
[ 20] [ 21]
477
Mount Bandai
4
Japan
1888
1888 eruption of Mount Bandai
426
Anak Krakatoa
3
Indonesia
2018
2018 Sunda Strait tsunami
416
Ruang
2
Indonesia
1871
1871 Ruang eruption and tsunami
400+
Kilauea
4
Hawaii , United States
1790
Keanakakoi eruption
350 to 400
Mount Mayon
4
Philippines
1897
[ 22]
353
Mount Merapi
4
Indonesia
2010
2010 eruptions of Mount Merapi
340
Cotopaxi
4
Ecuador
1877
[ 23]
326
Makian
4
Indonesia
1861
[ 6]
245
Nyiragongo
1
Democratic Republic of the Congo
2002
216
Mount Vesuvius
4
Italy
1906
[ 24]
190 to 2,900
Volcán de Fuego
3
Guatemala
2018
2018 Volcán de Fuego eruption
[ 25]
160+
Paluweh
3
Indonesia
1928
[ 26]
151
Mount Ruapehu
?
New Zealand
1953
Tangiwai disaster
150
Tori-shima
3
Japan
1902
[ 27]
149
Dieng Volcanic Complex
1
Indonesia
1979
1979 eruption of Sinila crater
[ 28]
144
Mount Tokachi
3
Japan
1926
[ 29] [better source needed ]
117
Dieng Volcanic Complex
2
Indonesia
1944
[ 30]
114
Dieng Volcanic Complex
1
Indonesia
1964
[ 30]
108 to 120
Mount Tarawera
5
New Zealand
1886
1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera
106
Dubbi
3
Eritrea
1861
[ 6]
87
Volcán Arenal
3
Costa Rica
1968
[ 31]
80
Mount Marapi
2
Indonesia
1979
1979 eruption of Mount Marapi
[ 32]
79
Mount Mayon
2
Philippines
1993
[ 16]
70
Nyiragongo
1
Democratic Republic of the Congo
1977
[ 33]
70~
Kolumbo
4
Greece
1650
[ 34]
69
Semeru
4
Indonesia
2021
2021 Semeru eruption
64
Mount Merapi
2
Indonesia
1994
[ 35]
63
Mount Ontake
3
Japan
2014
2014 Mount Ontake eruption
58
Sakurajima
4
Japan
1914
[ 36]
57
Mount St. Helens
5
United States
1980
1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
56
Mount Etna
2
Italy
1843
[ 6]
56
La Soufrière
4
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1812
[ 37]
50
Mount Usu
4
Japan
1822
[ 38]
43
Mount Unzen
1
Japan
1991
[ 39]
40
Dieng Volcanic Complex
2
Indonesia
1928
[ 30]
39
Taal
4
Philippines
2020
2020–2022 Taal Volcano eruptions
38
Dieng Volcanic Complex
2
Indonesia
1786
[ 30]
32
Mount Nyiragongo
1
Democratic Republic of the Congo
2021
2021 Mount Nyiragongo eruption
32
Kelud
4
Indonesia
1990
[ 40]
31
Bayonnaise Rocks
2
Japan
1952
[ 41]
31
Nabro Volcano
4
Eritrea
2011
2011 Nabro eruption
30
Rinjani
3
Indonesia
1994
[ 42]
27
Mount Vesuvius
3
Italy
1944
[ 6]
25
Villarrica
2
Chile
1964
[ 43]
24
Monte Nuovo (Phlegraean Fields )
3
Italy
1538
[ 44]
23
Villarrica
3
Chile
1948
[ 45]
23
Mount Marapi
2
Indonesia
2023
2023 eruption of Mount Marapi
22
Whakaari/White Island
2
New Zealand
2019
2019 Whakaari / White Island eruption
19
Soufrière Hills
3
Montserrat
1997
[ 46]
18
Galunggung
4
Indonesia
1982
16
Sinabung
4
Indonesia
2014
[ 47]
15 to 30
Villarrica
2
Chile
1971
[ 48]
15
Raikoke
4
Russia
1778
[ 49]
10
Dieng Volcanic Complex
1
Indonesia
1939
[ 30]
10
Lewotob i
3
Indonesia
2024
[ 50]
10
Whakaari/White Island
?
New Zealand
1914
9
Galeras
2
Colombia
1993
Galeras tragedy
9
Mount Etna
3
Italy
1979
[ 51]
8
Dieng Volcanic Complex
1
Indonesia
2017
[ 52]
8
Kuchinoerabu-jima
4
Japan
1933
[ 53]
7
Kelud
4
Indonesia
2014
[ 54]
7
Jabal al-Tair
3
Yemen
2007
[ 55]
6
Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai
5
Tonga
2022
2021–22 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption and tsunami
6
Karangetang
2
Indonesia
1992
[ 56]
5
Mount Tavurvur
4
Papua New Guinea
1994
[ 57]
5
Mount Hudson
3
Chile
1971
[ 58]
4
Gamalama
2
Indonesia
2011
[ 59]
4
Yakedake
1
Japan
1995
[ 60]
4
Stromboli
2
Italy
1930
[ 61]
3
Pacaya
3
Guatemala
2010
[ 62]
3
Kanlaon
2
Philippines
1996
[ 63]
3
Didicas
2
Philippines
1969
[ 64]
2
Santa Ana
3
El Salvador
2005
[ 65]
2
Mount Bromo
2
Indonesia
2004
[ 66]
1
Popocatépetl
2
Mexico
2022
[ 67]
1
Cumbre Vieja
3
Spain
2021
2021 Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption
1
Stromboli
2
Italy
2019
[ 68]
1
Chaitén
4
Chile
2008
[ 69]
1
Raoul Island
1
New Zealand
2006
[ 70]
1
Eldfell
3
Iceland
1973
[ 71] [ 72] [ 73]
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