Based on the available information and databases related to volcanic activity, scientists from the University of Bristol for the first time classified the victims of volcanoes by activity and other characteristics, and also found out at what distance from the volcano they were at the time of death.
The results of the study should assist in assessing volcanic threats and developing effective measures to prevent accidents.
One tenth of the world's population is exposed to volcanic threats, as more than 800 million people live within 100 km of active volcanoes. Between 1,500 and 2017, more than 278,000 people said goodbye to their lives as a result of volcanic activity - an average of about 540 deaths per year.
Volcanoes pose numerous threats, the influence of which spreads over different distances, both during the eruption and in its absence. In the study, Dr. Sarah Brown of the University of Bristol's School of Earth Sciences and her colleagues updated previous databases of volcano-related deaths by adjusting the data and, most importantly, by including information on the location of the dead in terms of distance from the volcano.
Fatal incident sites were identified based on official reports, scientific reports and publications. Deaths were recorded at a distance of up to 170 km from the volcano, almost half of them occurred at a distance of 10 km and most of all - within a radius of 5 km.
Pyroclastic flows, rapidly moving avalanches of rock, ash and gas, are the dominant cause of death at medium distances (5-15 km). Lahar volcanic mudflows, tsunamis and ash are the main causes of death at long distances.
In addition, Dr. Brown and her team provided the most detailed classification of volcanic victims in their study. While most of the victims lived on or near the volcano, several special groups were allocated. These are tourists, media workers, emergency responders and scientists, mainly volcanologists.
Among tourists, 561 deaths were recorded, mainly during small eruptions or in their absence. Most of these incidents took place near a volcano, within 5 km. A recent example of the death of tourists during the eruption was the case of 2014 in the area of the Japanese volcano Ontake. The suddenly awakened volcano led to the death of 57 people. Or just a few weeks ago, an 11-year-old child and his parents died after falling into the crater of the supervolcano Campi Flegrei in Italy, where noxious gas fumes were inhaled.
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Also, reports told the authors of the study about the deaths of 67 scientists, mainly volcanologists and their assistants. More than 70% of them died within 1 km of the top of the volcano, which underlines the danger of visiting active volcanoes, even for scientific purposes.
Volcanoes killed 57 people among rescuers, military personnel and other emergency response workers. Media workers who report from the scene, often in the danger zone, are also at risk. There were 30 deaths reported in this category.
“Identifying these groups is key to improving safety and reducing deaths. While volcanologists and rescuers may have good reasons for visiting dangerous areas, the benefits and risks must be carefully weighed. Media personnel and tourists should keep their distance and follow directions from authorities and volcanic observatories. The death toll of tourists can be reduced through appropriate access restrictions, warnings and education,”said Dr. Brown.
This work is an important step towards the collection of statistics to reduce deaths from natural disasters and improve the corresponding Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The research is published in the Journal of Applied Volcanology.