El Chichón's "surprise" eruption in 1982: Lessons for reducing volcano risk

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Main Author: R. I. Tilling
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2009
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author R. I. Tilling
author_facet R. I. Tilling
contents El Chichón's "surprise" eruption in 1982: Lessons for reducing volcano risk R. I. Tilling Ciencias de la Tierra risk reduction volcano hazards El Chichón Volcano volcanic emergency management During one week (28 March-4 April 1982), three powerful explosive eruptions (VEI 5) of El Chichón Volcano caused the worst volcanic disaster in Mexico's recorded history. Pyroclastic flows and surges obliterated nine villages, killing about 2,000 people, and ashfalls downwind posed socio-economic hardships for many thousands of inhabitants of the States of Chiapas and Tabasco. The unexpected and vigorous eruption of 28 caused a hasty, confused evacuation of most villagers in the area. Activity was greatly diminished the next five days, and then the most powerful and lethal eruptions occurred 3-4 April-tragically, after many evacuees were allowed by authorities to return home. Unfortunately, the eruptions came as an almost total surprise for scientists and government authorities, effectively precluding opportunities to implement timely mitigative countermeasures. During the months before eruption onset, fumarolic activity increased and inhabitants living close to the volcano felt occasional earthquakes, prompting the Chiapas government to request help from the Federal government. Both the Chiapas and Federal governmental actions were slow, and the requested assistance came after the volcano erupted. Perhaps the most important lesson learned from the disastrous outcome at El Chichón is that its decreased activity (29 March-2 April) should not have been assumed by the senior scientist on site-and the military authorities acting on his advice-to signal the end of eruption. While the 1982 eruptions caused a national tragedy, they also fostered multidisciplinary studies of eruptive phenomena, not only at El Chichón but also other explosive volcanoes in the world. 2009 artículo científico 0016-7169 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=56813222002 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=568 Geofísica Internacional application/pdf Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Geofísica Internacional (México) Num.1 Vol.48
format Artículo científico
id redalyc_56813222002
institution Redalyc
language en
publishDate 2009
publisher Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
spellingShingle El Chichón's "surprise" eruption in 1982: Lessons for reducing volcano risk
R. I. Tilling
Ciencias de la Tierra
risk reduction
volcano hazards
El Chichón Volcano
volcanic emergency management
El Chichón's "surprise" eruption in 1982: Lessons for reducing volcano risk R. I. Tilling Ciencias de la Tierra risk reduction volcano hazards El Chichón Volcano volcanic emergency management During one week (28 March-4 April 1982), three powerful explosive eruptions (VEI 5) of El Chichón Volcano caused the worst volcanic disaster in Mexico's recorded history. Pyroclastic flows and surges obliterated nine villages, killing about 2,000 people, and ashfalls downwind posed socio-economic hardships for many thousands of inhabitants of the States of Chiapas and Tabasco. The unexpected and vigorous eruption of 28 caused a hasty, confused evacuation of most villagers in the area. Activity was greatly diminished the next five days, and then the most powerful and lethal eruptions occurred 3-4 April-tragically, after many evacuees were allowed by authorities to return home. Unfortunately, the eruptions came as an almost total surprise for scientists and government authorities, effectively precluding opportunities to implement timely mitigative countermeasures. During the months before eruption onset, fumarolic activity increased and inhabitants living close to the volcano felt occasional earthquakes, prompting the Chiapas government to request help from the Federal government. Both the Chiapas and Federal governmental actions were slow, and the requested assistance came after the volcano erupted. Perhaps the most important lesson learned from the disastrous outcome at El Chichón is that its decreased activity (29 March-2 April) should not have been assumed by the senior scientist on site-and the military authorities acting on his advice-to signal the end of eruption. While the 1982 eruptions caused a national tragedy, they also fostered multidisciplinary studies of eruptive phenomena, not only at El Chichón but also other explosive volcanoes in the world. 2009 artículo científico 0016-7169 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=56813222002 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=568 Geofísica Internacional application/pdf Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Geofísica Internacional (México) Num.1 Vol.48
title El Chichón's "surprise" eruption in 1982: Lessons for reducing volcano risk
topic Ciencias de la Tierra
risk reduction
volcano hazards
El Chichón Volcano
volcanic emergency management
url https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=56813222002