Volcanic Hazards

• Volcanic hazard: a danger to people, property, or the environment created directly or indirectly by volcanic activity

• Types of volcanic hazards:

  • Landslides

  • Tsunamis

  • Ash falls

  • Hot ash flows

    • Pyroclastic flows

  • Mudslides

  • Lava flows

  • Release of gas

    • Fiery clouds

    • Nuée ardente

• Key terms

  • Exposure: people and property at risk to volcanic phenomena

  • Volcanic threat: the qualitative risk of a volcano to people and property

Mitigation Methods

• Identification of hazardous areas

• Monitoring of hazardous areas

• Development of emergency plans for people residing in hazardous areas

  • Eg. evacuation

Common Precursors to Volcanic Hazards

• Rising earthquake swarms

• Ground surface movement

• Increased presence of [abnormal] gases in the atmosphere

• Variant temperatures

Collecting Information

Risk Knowledge

• Systemic collection of information and undertaking of risk assessments

  • Are hazards and vulnerabilities well known?

  • Do patterns and trends exist in these factors? If so, what are they?

  • Are risk maps and data widely available?

Monitoring and Warning Services

• Development of hazard monitoring and early warning services for people residing in the affected area

  • Which parameters are being monitored and why?

  • Is there a sound scientific forecasting system?

  • Can accurate and timely warnings be generated?

Dissemination and Communication

• Communication of risk information and dispersion of early warnings

  • Do warnings quickly and effectively reach everyone at risk?

  • Are the risks and warnings understood by those reached?

  • Is warning information clear and applicable?

Response Capability

• Creation of national and community response capabilities

  • Are response plans up-to-date and regularly tested?

  • Are local capacities of knowledge utilized to their full extent?

  • Are people prepared to react to warnings?