Mount TamboraIn 1815, the massive volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora was the most powerful in 1,600 years. It formed a crater 5-miles across on Indonesia's Sumbawa island, lowered the island by 4,000 feet, and killed 10,000 people. The series of eruptions between April the 5th and 15th had worldwide effects more far-reaching than the famous 1883 eruption of Krakatoa. The record amounts of ash Tambora spewed into the atmosphere encircled the globe, screened the sun's light and caused a global drop in temperature. Thus 1816 was a “Year Without a Summer,”with severe climate abnormalities across the globe. Frosts killed crops and late heavy snowstorms occured. Elsewhere, there were severe storms, excessive rainfall and floods. Widespread famine and disease killed 80,000 more people.«[Image: NASA Landsat7.] |
