Effects of Volcanic Eruptions

The mudslides caused by Mayon eruption in 2006 buried many people. The strong rainfall caused by typhoon Reming produced lahar flows from volcanic ash and boulders that killed around 1266 people. Similarly, the volcanic deposits caused by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 were carried by the strong rainfall caused by Typhoon Diding and damaged infrastructures and plantations.

Volcanic eruptions emit volcanic gases and aerosol droplets into the air. These gases include sulfur dioxide that forms a global layer of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere, which contributes to global cooling. This layer reduces the normal amount of sunlight that reaches the surface of the earth, leading to a decrease in global temperature by about 0.4°C.

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 released 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, resulting in a drop in global temperature from 1991 to 1993. At the same time, global warming may also occur after a massive volcanic eruption when the temperature in the atmosphere rises to several degrees higher because of the absorption of radiated heat from the sun by carbon dioxide, which is also emitted to the atmosphere by an erupting volcano.