Mount Pinatubo Eruption, 1991, Philippines

Why is Mount Pinatubo a

hazard risk?
Mount Pinatubo is located on
the island of Luzon in the
Philippines. The Philippines is
located on a destructive
plate boundary where the
Philippines Plate, composed
of
oceanic crust, moves
towards and is subducted by
the Eurasian Plate, which
consists of oceanic crust. As
the oceanic plate is subducted, it is converted into magma which rises to
the surface and consequently forms volcanoes. Even before the Eruption
on Mount Pinatubo, there were over 30 active volcanoes in the Philippines.
Why do people live in this area?
As Mount Pinatubo had not erupted since 1380, people living there no
longer considered it to be a hazard. During that time, ash and lava from
earlier eruptions had weathered into a fertile soil, ideal for rice growing.
So by 1991 people no longer perceived Mount Pinatubo to be a danger. On
the lower slopes of the mountain, the people called the Aeta, practiced
subsistence farming. Near the foothills was the rapidly growing city of
Angeles, which was also home to the Clark Air Base. The Clark Air Base
had been in use since 1903 and had been through events of World War2.
What were the effects of the
eruption?
Immediate effects
The volcano began to show signs
of erupting in early June 1991.
Fortunately, there were several
advance-warning signs which
allowed time for the evacuation
of thousands people from the
surrounding areas and the city of
Angeles and the 1500 people
from the Clark Air Base. The
number and size of the eruptions began to increase of the 9th June. On 12th

June, an explosion sent a cloud of steam and ash 30km into the
atmosphere making it the biggest eruption in 100 years and 10 times the
size of Mount St. Helens. Up to
50cm of ash fell nearby and over
10cm within a 600km radius.
There were hundreds of
earthquakes and due to a crossing
typhoon, the torrential rain mixed
with falling ash and fell as thick
mud. The ash destroyed all crops
on adjacent farmland and its
weight caused building to
collapse, including 200,000
homes, a local hospital and many
factories. Power supplies were cut
off for three weeks and water supplies became contaminated. Relief
operations were hindered as many roads became impassable and bridges
were destroyed.
Long term effects
The thick fall of ash not only ruined the harvest of 1991, but made
planting impossible for 1992. Over 1 million farm animals died, many
through starvation due to the lack of grass. Several thousand farmers and
their families had to make refuge in large cities. The majority were forced
to seek food and shelter in shanty-type refugee camps. Disease,
especially malaria, chickenpox and diarrhoea, spread rapidly and doctors
had to treat hundreds of people for respiratory and stomach disorders.
Soon after the event, and again in
1993, typhoons brought heavy
rainfall which causes flooding and
lahars. Even 5 years after the
eruption there were more lahars
from rainfall. The ash that was
ejected into the atmosphere is
believed to have caused changes in
the Earths climate, including the
lowering of world temperatures and
ozone depletion. The eruption and
its after-effects were blamed for
about 700 deaths. Of these only six we believed to be a direct result of the
eruption itself. Over 600 were killed from disease and a further 70 from
suffocation from lahars.

How did people respond to the event?

Within a few weeks of the major Pinatubo eruption, groups of evacuees
from the affected area began to consider their future options and their
next move. Some members of the Aeta decided not to return to their
homes as they believed that everything that had planted had been
destroyed and that there was no point in going back. However, the
majority of the Aeta tribe decided to return. To them, the mountain slopes,
although vastly changed, were still their home and the hard way of life in
the hills was preferable to the foreign habits of the lowlanders and to
living in urban areas. Most of the people who fled from the City of Angeles
have, so far, opted against returning home. To them, life in the shanty
refugee camps safer than returning to an area where eruptions and
earthquakes are still occurring and where heavy rain is likely to cause
lahars for several years until the regrowth of vegetation stabilises the
slopes.
What role did volcanologists have in predicting the eruption and
minimalizing the hazard risk?
In spring 1991 there had been explosions at Mount Pinatubo and as the
volcano had not erupted in recorded history so volcanologists where every
interested in the area. On March 15, 1991, a succession of earthquakes
was felt by villagers on the north-western side of the volcano. Further
earthquakes of increasing intensity were felt over the next two weeks, and
it became clear some kind of volcanic activity was likely. Over the next
few weeks, small eruptions continued, dusting the surrounding areas with
volcanic ash. Volcanologists used seismographs that recorded hundreds of
small earthquakes every day. On the 5th of May earthquakes that were
measure 5 miles in the volcano and there was a rising amount of SO2
which gave the volcanologists the prediction that manga was rising and a
volcanic eruption was possible to happen. They used Radiocarbon dating
of charcoal found in old volcanic deposits revealed three major explosive
eruptions in recent millennia, about 5500, 3500 and 500 years ago. This
showed that Mount Pinatubo didnt erupt very often but when it did erupt
it was a major explosive eruption. On 3rd June the volcanologists made an
Alert 2 warning (activity more intensive) and 20,000 people were
evacuated of a 6 mile radius. On the 6th June there was a spine of manga
detected and earthquakes were becoming more frequent and bigger
resulting in an Alert 3 warming (eruption likely). On the 7th June there was
almost continuous earthquakes measured resulting in an alert 4 warming
(eruption possible within 24 hours) and the evacuation of 120, 000 people
within a 12 miles radius. On the 8/9th June there was surveillance flights

around the volcano were used to check on the situation resulting in a full
evacuation on the 10th and finally on the 12th the eruption began.
What lessons were learnt and how can future eruptions be predicted?
A lesson that is leant is that in places were a volcanic eruption has not
occurred for many centuries, like in the case of Mount Pinatubo, the
human perception of the hazard risk decreases and the event, should it
take place, catches more people and organisation unprepared. So an area
surround a volcano should always be prepared.
It is now possible to predict some natural hazards. However, at present,
while it may be possible to predict fairly accurately where volcanic
eruptions are likely to occur, there seems to be little prospect of people
being able to predict the time or scale of the specific event.
The UN has produced a recommendation for the surveillance of volcanoes:

Regional networks of seismographic stations should be set up in risk

areas that are populated.

Portable seismographs and tilt meters should be available for

instant installation of any volcano showing signs of activity

Trained volcanologists should be made available to interpret events.

Detailed histories of volcanoes should be produced. Some

volcanoes have a cycle of eruptions; if the cycle is know it can aid
future predictions.

Detailed maps should be produced to show deposits of lave and

pyroclastic materials from previous eruptions. These can show areas
that are likely to be at risk from these hazards.

Periodic measurements should be taken to show possible changes in

the temperature and pressure within the volcano. Chemical analyses
of fumaroles and hot springs might indicate variables from the
norm.

Emergency procedures, including evacuation procedures should be

established for all communities.

Aerial magnetic and infrared photo-graphic surveys should be made

at regular intervals. It has been shown that, before an eruption,
there are local variations in the Earths magnetic field, while infrared
photos could show a build-up of temperature and any possible
swellings of the cone.