Vesuvius Blows it's Top
By: Ellie Bryan
The Eruption
Boom. Mt. Vesuvius erupts. It's August 24th, 79 AD and 2,000 people are about to suffocate from the poisonous gases in Pompeii or covered by a lava flow in Herculaneum (Volcanoes). Both towns were covered by lava very quickly. In fact, they were buried so fast many didn't have a chance to escape, they were preserved under a 10 foot layer of rock and ash . These people should've seen it coming. There had been frequent earthquakes all summer and a huge one the morning of the eruption. Nobody took it seriously, they thought it was normal (Drimmer).
Another Example
Vesuvius isn't the only volcanic eruption that has caught people off guard. Another example is Krakatau, a volcano in Indonesia. This volcano erupted in 1883 and killed 36,417 people (Volcano World).
Learn From It
There are many things people who live in places where volcanic eruptions are common can learn from the eruptions of Vesuvius and Krakatau. One of the things they can learn is to listen to the warning signs. Earth gives warning signs to people before something bad happens. The earthquakes before Vesuvius erupted were a warning sign to tell people to get out of there (Drimmer). The main thing people can do to save themselves form volcanic eruptions is to pay attention to their surroundings for warning signs.
Technological Advances
Advances in technology have helped better prepare people for volcanic eruptions. One example of this is volcano-alert notifications. The U.S. Geological Survey sends texts to people in places where volcanic eruptions are common, telling them about current volcanic activity in that area. The texts also tell people the potential hazards and the most likely outcome so they can better prepare. In conclusion, learn from what happened in Pompeii. Observe your surroundings and pay attention to any changes that could indicate volcanic activity.