Five Dead As Philippine Volcano Spews Ash, Rocks

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Five dead as Philippine volcano spews ash, rocks

Manila - Four German tourists and a local guide were killed when a Philippine volcano ejected ash and rocks in a sudden explosion Tuesday, officials said.

Twelve people were injured by the eruption of Mount Mayon in Albay province, 350 kilometres south-east of Manila, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, provincial governor Joey Salceda said.

"The four killed tourists were Germans, but their nationalities would have to be confirmed by the embassy," Salceda said by phone. "The fifth fatality was a Filipino guide." A total of 27 people were trekking on the volcano the explosion occurred, according to the Office of Civil Defence.

Salceda said seven of the injured had been rescued while five were still waiting to be evacuated.

The other hikers were from Austria, Thailand and Indonesia.

-- The Nation 2013-05-07

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Thai Foreign Ministry: Philippine volcano erupts; Thai injured on Mount Mayon; Victim one of five Thai tourists climbing the Luzon peak /MCOT

[F430murci]

Are they climbing a known active volcano. If so, thrill seekin Philopeangangnam style might not be so prudent. Very sad to hear and I have nothing against thrill seeking. Just going out in a pool of lava while climbing an active volcano seems like a bad way to go.

[folium]

Are they climbing a known active volcano. If so, thrill seekin Philopeangangnam style might not be so prudent. Very sad to hear and I have nothing against thrill seeking. Just going out in a pool of lava while climbing an active volcano seems like a bad way to go.

Approximately 500 million people live near active volcanoes worldwide. Volcanoes are either active or extinct (dormant is a quaint, and now unused, term for an active volcano that has not erupted in living memory but is inconveniently near major population centres).

Very much doubt that these unfortunate people were caught in a "pool of lava", as you would have to be seriously dozy to be caught out by relatively slow moving lava (unless we are talking a lava lake scenario like Nyiragongo in the DRC). Most likely they were caught in a phreatic explosion (driven by water coming into contact with superheated rock) and were killed by falling debris, similar to the 1993 Galeras tragedy in Colombia.

Scaling active volcanoes always carries risks, much as skiing does, but every death is always a tragedy.

[F430murci]

Are they climbing a known active volcano. If so, thrill seekin Philopeangangnam style might not be so prudent. Very sad to hear and I have nothing against thrill seeking. Just going out in a pool of lava while climbing an active volcano seems like a bad way to go.

Approximately 500 million people live near active volcanoes worldwide. Volcanoes are either active or extinct (dormant is a quaint, and now unused, term for an active volcano that has not erupted in living memory but is inconveniently near major population centres).

Very much doubt that these unfortunate people were caught in a "pool of lava", as you would have to be seriously dozy to be caught out by relatively slow moving lava (unless we are talking a lava lake scenario like Nyiragongo in the DRC). Most likely they were caught in a phreatic explosion (driven by water coming into contact with superheated rock) and were killed by falling debris, similar to the 1993 Galeras tragedy in Colombia.

Scaling active volcanoes always carries risks, much as skiing does, but every death is always a tragedy.

Actually, they were apparently hit by a large flying rock the size of cars, but pyroclastic flow would be an aweful way to go also.

Some lava is slow, but from a long ago tour thingy in Hawaii I thought lava can hit speeds up to 15 mph and has been known to hit 40 mph in certain conditions.

[folium]

Are they climbing a known active volcano. If so, thrill seekin Philopeangangnam style might not be so prudent. Very sad to hear and I have nothing against thrill seeking. Just going out in a pool of lava while climbing an active volcano seems like a bad way to go.

Approximately 500 million people live near active volcanoes worldwide. Volcanoes are either active or extinct (dormant is a quaint, and now unused, term for an active volcano that has not erupted in living memory but is inconveniently near major population centres).

Very much doubt that these unfortunate people were caught in a "pool of lava", as you would have to be seriously dozy to be caught out by relatively slow moving lava (unless we are talking a lava lake scenario like Nyiragongo in the DRC). Most likely they were caught in a phreatic explosion (driven by water coming into contact with superheated rock) and were killed by falling debris, similar to the 1993 Galeras tragedy in Colombia.

Scaling active volcanoes always carries risks, much as skiing does, but every death is always a tragedy.

Actually, they were apparently hit by a large flying rock the size of cars, but pyroclastic flow would be an aweful way to go also.

Some lava is slow, but from a long ago tour thingy in Hawaii I thought lava can hit speeds up to 15 mph and has been known to hit 40 mph in certain conditions.

Hence the phreatic explosion notion and a minor eruption producing volcanic bombs and assorted tephra. Pyroclastic flows/surges only accompany major eruptions.

Lava is lucky to get up to 15 KMH, 30 KMH absolute max in confined tubes/spaces, even in Hawaii. Nyiragongo's lava has been clocked at up to 100KMH, but is luckily the exception to the rule.

[F430murci]

Are they climbing a known active volcano. If so, thrill seekin Philopeangangnam style might not be so prudent. Very sad to hear and I have nothing against thrill seeking. Just going out in a pool of lava while climbing an active volcano seems like a bad way to go.

Approximately 500 million people live near active volcanoes worldwide. Volcanoes are either active or extinct (dormant is a quaint, and now unused, term for an active volcano that has not erupted in living memory but is inconveniently near major population centres).

Very much doubt that these unfortunate people were caught in a "pool of lava", as you would have to be seriously dozy to be caught out by relatively slow moving lava (unless we are talking a lava lake scenario like Nyiragongo in the DRC). Most likely they were caught in a phreatic explosion (driven by water coming into contact with superheated rock) and were killed by falling debris, similar to the 1993 Galeras tragedy in Colombia.

Scaling active volcanoes always carries risks, much as skiing does, but every death is always a tragedy.

Actually, they were apparently hit by a large flying rock the size of cars, but pyroclastic flow would be an aweful way to go also.

Some lava is slow, but from a long ago tour thingy in Hawaii I thought lava can hit speeds up to 15 mph and has been known to hit 40 mph in certain conditions.

Hence the phreatic explosion notion and a minor eruption producing volcanic bombs and assorted tephra. Pyroclastic flows/surges only accompany major eruptions.

Lava is lucky to get up to 15 KMH, 30 KMH absolute max in confined tubes/spaces, even in Hawaii. Nyiragongo's lava has been clocked at up to 100KMH, but is luckily the exception to the rule.

This dude cites examples of lava moving 40 to 60 mph/ 100 kph.

http://volcanoworld.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/how-fast-does-lava-flow/

I think your referring to relatively flat area and slow flow rate.

http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/how-fast-does-lava-flow

[folium]

Can't link to previous post by Murci but....

They are basically duplicate posts but make the point that lava in the vast majority of cases moves at a speed even a geriatric could outpace...

Hence you have to be pretty dozy or living in Goma, DRC, to be killed by a lava flow.

[pacovl46]

Are they climbing a known active volcano. If so, thrill seekin Philopeangangnam style might not be so prudent. Very sad to hear and I have nothing against thrill seeking. Just going out in a pool of lava while climbing an active volcano seems like a bad way to go.

Approximately 500 million people live near active volcanoes worldwide. Volcanoes are either active or extinct (dormant is a quaint, and now unused, term for an active volcano that has not erupted in living memory but is inconveniently near major population centres).

Very much doubt that these unfortunate people were caught in a "pool of lava", as you would have to be seriously dozy to be caught out by relatively slow moving lava (unless we are talking a lava lake scenario like Nyiragongo in the DRC). Most likely they were caught in a phreatic explosion (driven by water coming into contact with superheated rock) and were killed by falling debris, similar to the 1993 Galeras tragedy in Colombia.

Scaling active volcanoes always carries risks, much as skiing does, but every death is always a tragedy.

Actually, they were apparently hit by a large flying rock the size of cars, but pyroclastic flow would be an aweful way to go also.

Some lava is slow, but from a long ago tour thingy in Hawaii I thought lava can hit speeds up to 15 mph and has been known to hit 40 mph in certain conditions.

A pyroclastic flow would probably vaporize you instantly considering that they're around 1000 degrees C (1850 degrees F) hot. I don't think you'd feel that much at all depending on how fast it flows. They can reach speeds of up to 700km/h. So, depending on how far up the mountain you are it could be anything from a split second to maybe a few seconds until it reaches you, and when it does it's over right there and then!

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Thai hiker rescued after fatal explosion at Philippine volcano

Manila - A 35-year-old Thai hiker was rescued Wednesday from a Philippine volcano one day after a sudden explosion of rocks and ash killed four European tourists and a local guide.

Boonchai Jattuporngong was found weakened and with a broken arm about half a kilometre from the crater of Mount Mayon in Albay province, 350 kilometres south-east of Manila, said Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro, a regional civil defence director.

"He is stable but he will be subject to further medical checks," Alejandro said.


-- The Nation 2013-05-08