The Eruption of MT. Pinatubo
About Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is a volcano located on Luzon Island in the Philippines.Known to be around for over 400 years, Mt. Pinatubo had been dormant since the eruption of 1991. Pinatubo is a composite volcano, having both explosive and no explosive eruptions. It was covered in dense forests, and had many people living on the island until the eruption, killing over 800, and trapping many others. Located near the volcano is many cities, including Manilla, which has a large amount of Filipino citizens. It is known to still be active today.
Known Eruptions
Since the volcano lasted dormant for about 400 years, the only two known eruptions were in 1991 and 1992. The 1991 eruption was the second biggest volcanic eruption in this century.
These eruptions are known to include pyroclastic flow, and tephra.
Signs of Eruption
Based off of the previous eruption, the way Pinatubo was awakened was when a 7.8 earthquake hit Manilla, squeezing the crust below the volcano, causing pressure deep in the volcano, but appeared to remain dormant like in the past. By March and April of 1991, magma began to rise to the surface of the volcano, which caused many minor earthquakes which lead to major steam explosions, causing three calderas(one of which is the lake shown in our background). From here until the eruption date (June 15, 1991), the volcano released several thousand tons of noxious sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, creating world wide temperature changes.
Legends
Apung Mallari (moon god) angered the sun god, Apung Suku. Suku began throwing boulders at Mallari's home (Mount Pinatubo). Mallari's daughter attempted to stop suku, only to be fatally hit by one of the boulders. Deeply depressed and saddened Mallari hid himself for years deep in Pinatubo, only to reawaken on June 15, 1991, causing the catastrophic eruption of the century.
Sources:
"Mount Pinatubo Eruption." Mount Pinatubo Volcano. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Newhall, Chris, James W. Hendley, II, and Peter H. Stauffer. "The Cataclysmic 1991 Eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, Fact Sheet 113-97." The Cataclysmic 1991 Eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, Fact Sheet 113-97. N.p., 28 Feb. 2005. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
"Pinatubo." Volcano, Luzon Island (Philippines). N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
"PINATUBO VOLCANO "The Sleeping Giant Awakens"" PINATUBO VOLCANO "The Sleeping Giant Awakens" N.p., 1996. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
