List of volcanic eruptions by death toll

Volcanic eruptions can be highly explosive. Some volcanoes have undergone catastrophic eruptions, killing large numbers of humans or other life forms. This list documents volcanic eruptions by human death toll.

Volcanic eruptions Human death toll Volcano Location Year Eruption Source(s)71,000 to 1,000,000+Mount Tambora7Indonesia18151815 eruption of Mount Tambora, Year Without a Summer36,000+Krakatoa6Indonesia18831883 eruption of Krakatoa 30,000Mount Pelée4Martinique19021902 eruption of Mount Pelée23,000Nevado del Ruiz3Colombia1985Armero tragedy20,000~ (estimated)Santorini6Greecec. 1600 BCMinoan eruption15,000 to 20,000Mount Rinjani7Indonesia12571257 Samalas eruption15,000Mount Unzen2Japan17921792 Unzen earthquake and tsunami13,000+ (estimated)Mount Vesuvius5Italy79Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD10,000+ Laki and Grímsvötn4Iceland1783Laki 1783 eruption 10,000Kelud5Indonesia15866,000Santa María6Guatemala19021902 eruption of Santa María5,160Kelud4Indonesia19194,011Galunggung5Indonesia18223,360Mount Vesuvius5Italy16311631 eruption of Mount Vesuvius3,000Ritter Island2Papua New Guinea18881888 Ritter Island eruption and tsunami2,957Mount Papandayan3Indonesia17722,942Mount Lamington4Papua New Guinea19511951 eruption of Mount Lamington2,806Mount Awu3Indonesia1856 2,033Oshima Oshima4Japan17411741 eruption of Oshima–Ōshima and the Kampo tsunami2,000Tseax ConeCanada 1,900El Chichón5Mexico19821,700Soufrière4St. Vincent19021,584Mount Agung5Indonesia19631,532Mount Awu3Indonesia18921,500Huaynaputina6Peru16001,369Mount Merapi3Indonesia19301,335Taal3Philippines19111,300Gamalama3Indonesia17751,200Mount Mayon4Philippines18141,151Mount Asama4Japan1783Tenmei eruption1,000Nevado del Ruiz3Colombia1845847Mount Pinatubo6Philippines19911991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo700Hokkaido Komagatake5Japan1640600Nevado del Ruiz4Colombia1595507Tavurvur4Papua New Guinea1937500Hibok-Hibok3Philippines1951477Mount Bandai4Japan18881888 eruption of Mount Bandai426Anak Krakatoa3Indonesia20182018 Sunda Strait tsunami416Ruang2Indonesia18711871 Ruang eruption and tsunami400+Kilauea4Hawaii, United States1790Keanakakoi eruption350 to 400Mount Mayon4Philippines1897353Mount Merapi4Indonesia20102010 eruptions of Mount Merapi340Cotopaxi4Ecuador1877326Makian4Indonesia1861245Nyiragongo1Democratic Republic of the Congo2002216Mount Vesuvius4Italy1906190 to 2,900Volcán de Fuego3Guatemala20182018 Volcán de Fuego eruption160+Paluweh3Indonesia1928150Tori-shima3Japan1902149Dieng Volcanic Complex1Indonesia19791979 eruption of Sinila crater140Mount Tokachi3Japan1926"The Eruption of the Tokachidake Volcano, Hokkaido, on May 24th, 1926", by Fumio Tada and Hiromichi Tsuya, Bulletin of the Earthquake Research Institute (in English), Volume 42 (1964) pp.49-50117Dieng Volcanic Complex2Indonesia1944114Dieng Volcanic Complex1Indonesia1964108 to 120Mount Tarawera5New Zealand18861886 eruption of Mount Tarawera106Dubbi3Eritrea1861100 to 1000Cotopaxi4Ecuador1768100 to 1000Cotopaxi3Ecuador174287Volcán Arenal3Costa Rica196880Mount Marapi2Indonesia19791979 eruption of Mount Marapi79Mount Mayon2Philippines199370Nyiragongo1Democratic Republic of the Congo197770~Kolumbo4Greece165069Semeru4Indonesia20212021 Semeru eruption64Mount Merapi2Indonesia199463Mount Ontake3Japan20142014 Mount Ontake eruption58Sakurajima4Japan191457Mount St. Helens5United States19801980 eruption of Mount St. Helens56Mount Etna2Italy184356La Soufrière4Saint Vincent and the Grenadines181250Mount Usu4Japan182243Mount Unzen1Japan1991 Accessed 17 July 202240Dieng Volcanic Complex2Indonesia192839Taal4Philippines20202020–2022 Taal Volcano eruptions38Dieng Volcanic Complex2Indonesia178632Mount Nyiragongo1Democratic Republic of the Congo20212021 Mount Nyiragongo eruption32Kelud4Indonesia199031Bayonnaise Rocks2Japan195231Nabro Volcano4Eritrea20112011 Nabro eruption30Rinjani3Indonesia199427Mount Vesuvius3Italy194425Villarrica2Chile196424Monte Nuovo (Phlegraean Fields)3Italy153823Villarrica3Chile194823Mount Marapi2Indonesia20232023 eruption of Mount Marapi22Whakaari/White Island2New Zealand20192019 Whakaari / White Island eruption19Soufrière Hills3Montserrat199718Galunggung4Indonesia198216Sinabung4Indonesia201415 to 30Villarrica2Chile197115Raikoke4Russia177810Dieng Volcanic Complex1Indonesia193910Lewotobi3Indonesia202410Whakaari/White IslandNew Zealand19149Galeras2Colombia1993Galeras tragedy9Mount Etna3Italy19798Dieng Volcanic Complex1Indonesia20178Kuchinoerabu-jima4Japan19337Kelud4Indonesia20147Jabal al-Tair3Yemen20076Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai5Tonga20222021–22 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption and tsunami6Karangetang2Indonesia19925Mount Tavurvur4Papua New Guinea19945Mount Hudson3Chile19714Gamalama2Indonesia20114Yakedake1Japan19954Stromboli2Italy19303Pacaya3Guatemala20103Kanlaon2Philippines19963Didicas2Philippines19693DukonoIndonesia2026May 2026 eruption of Dukono2Santa Ana3El Salvador20052Mount Bromo2Indonesia20041Popocatépetl2Mexico20221Cumbre Vieja3Spain20212021 Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption1Stromboli2Italy20191Chaitén4Chile20081Raoul Island1New Zealand20061Eldfell3Iceland1973

See also Lists of disasters List of volcanic eruption deaths List of natural disasters by death toll List of volcanic eruptions in the 21st century

References