The Mt. St Helens eruption in Washington state m 1980 measured 5 on the volcanic exclusivity index (VEI). Only 57 people died fr
om the Mt. St Helens since most people were warned to evacuate the area prior to the event, Four years later, in 1985, del Ruiz in Colombia erupted. While only measuring 3 on the VEI, the eruption resulted in 25,000 deaths when unsuspecting residents of local towns were overrun by fast-moving lahars. Which of the following statements about volcano-related deaths best fit the information given in the paragraph? a. Volcanic eruptions often kill thousands of people.
b. The death toll from volcanic eruptions do not always correlate to exclusivity, and can be affected by human actions before and after the eruption.
c. Most volcano-related deaths occur from lahars.
d. The death toll from a volcanic eruption is directly related to its volcanic exclusivity index (VEl).
b. The death toll from volcanic eruptions do not always correlate to exclusivity, and can be affected by human actions before and after the eruption.
Explanation:
Many volcanic eruptions don't kill anyone. This is because most active volcanoes are well-known to local residents, who give them appropriate respect.
Lahars are deadly, but so are pyroclastic flows, and releases of ash and/or poison gases. The two deadliest eruptions in recorded history caused death by starvation and tsunami.
The point of the paragraph was that the VEI was <em>not</em> directly related to the number of deaths.
The Ring of Fire, also referred to as the Circum-Pacific Belt, is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. The majority of Earth’s volcanoes and earthquakes take place along the Ring of Fire.
