On August 27th, 1883, the island of Krakatoa erupted with such force that it was heard 3,000 miles away. The resulting tsunami killed over 36,000 people and is considered one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. But where is Krakatoa? And what caused such a catastrophic event? Let’s take a look.
Krakatoa is a small island located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. The strait is part of the “Ring of Fire,” an area in the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.
The 1883 eruption was not the first time Krakatoa had erupted; in fact, it was quite the opposite. The volcano had been erupting on and off for centuries. However, the 1883 eruption was by far the most powerful and destructive. It is estimated that the eruption ejected approximately 25 cubic kilometers (six cubic miles) of rock, ash, and pumice into the atmosphere.
The resulting tsunami caused waves as high as 30 meters (100 feet) to crash onto nearby shores, killing thousands of people instantly. All told, it is estimated that over 36,000 people were killed by the eruption and its aftermath.