Do You Know That? European Volcanoes I.

Today part of our infinite series will be devoted to European volcanoes, which still threatens its unimaginable destructive power, but this did not prevent people to build their homes on the slopes of most active volcanoes in Europe.

If you say the volcano, most of us think of the recent crisis associated with eruptions of Icelandic volcanoes. Island of fire and ice, as Iceland is called, in spite of its beauty after all quite sporadically inhabited, respectively his life is concentrated into several smaller administrative centers. Nature and rugged landscape of the north is in the vast majority uninhabited and so in case of eruption there is not so big threat of major loss of life or property. Right opposite is the volcano, on whose slopes are located literally metropolis with millions people.

The most famous European volcanoes Etna and Vesuvius these parameters fills and we are looking at how people live in their shadow.

The smaller one - Vesuvius, stands as a threat of Italian Naples. Although its height has no anything what could take your breath out, only 1279 meters above sea level, is a major landmark of Naples Gulf and whole area. For its entire history, with about 17 000 years, erupted more than seven times. Although this number seems, given the age of mountains, completely negligible, it is necessary to note that during the devastating eruption here found a grave thousands of people, the most known disaster was the destruction of Pompeii.

By carelessness of the local inhabitants, who for centuries considered the Vesuvius has long extinct volcano, has received a hard blow in the end of October in the year 79 AD, the city with tens of thousands people shrouded cloud of poisonous gas, hot ash and lava, which together with the dust covered the city up to 6 meters! Three days of continuous eruption, accompanied by an earthquake caused a devastating tsunami. For its rediscovery the cities Stabia and Ercolano waited for 17 centuries! Only in 1738, respectively 1748 was gradually discover the terrible history of this place. However the greatest discoveries were found after the 19th century. Archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli also discovered a box and dust cavity with preserved human remains, from whose distorted faces can still read what scary had happened there.

A similar fate would be waiting for today's residents near Naples, which is not particularly awash in piles of garbage. The third largest city of Italy with nearly five million inhabitants is under permanent threat of similar disasters. The last major eruption was here relatively recently, in 1944. Since then, the igneous pot in depth of about 8 kilometers under constant supervision of experts and seismologists. Peaceful life at the foot of mountains, vineyards and romantic villages are all within a few hours to change beyond recognition as well as the fate of virtually the whole of Europe. Volcanic eruption plume of thick, according to most forecasts for several days to weeks eclipsed the sun and volcanic night would occur. Everything would cover the ashes, the plants could influence the lack of light and poisons were destroyed. Air transport would also common failing. Casualties would go into the millions ...

It remains only to hope that the darkest images of Vesuvius won´t come true. is full. This volcano is not far from the only one, contra, a few hundred miles south dormant perhaps even greater bogy - Sicilian Etna, but about it we will talk next time.

Text: Jan Chaloupka

Photo: Wikipedia commons: Pastorius ,Errabee , drew a ilustrace Discovery Channel