One of the deadliest volcanic eruptions in recorded history, beginning with phreatic explosions in April 1902 and culminating in a catastrophic pyroclastic surge on 8 May that swept through the city of Saint-Pierre, Martinique, at hurricane speed. Almost the entire population of the city, about 28,000 people, was killed within minutes, and further deadly explosions in May and August brought the total death toll to approximately 29,000, the deadliest eruption of the 20th century, and the disaster gave its name to the Peleean style of eruption.
Facts
Event DateDate of the climactic pyroclastic surge; phreatic explosions began April 1902 and further deadly events followed into August 1902. Magnitude or ScaleVolcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) 4; pyroclastic surge exceeded 160 kilometers per hour at over 1,075 degrees Celsius 1 LocationSaint-Pierre, Martinique 1 Disputed
Death TollApproximately 29,000 overall, about 28,000 of them in Saint-Pierre within minutes 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.