The Eruption of Mount Tambora – 5 Minute Disasters

The eruption of Mount Tambora in April 1815 is widely regarded as the most powerful volcanic eruption in recorded history, with its effects felt globally for years afterward. Located on the island of Sumbawa in Indonesia, Tambora’s catastrophic explosion resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, both directly and indirectly, and altered the global climate, leading to what is now famously known as “The Year Without a Summer.” The eruption of Mount Tambora was an environmental disaster on a scale that remains unparalleled, transforming landscapes, destroying communities, and plunging the world into darkness and cold in the years that followed.

Mount Tambora had been dormant for several centuries before its eruption, with little indication that such a colossal event was looming. In early April 1815, signs of increased volcanic activity were noted, including the emission of ash and smoke, and minor explosions were heard in the surrounding areas. On April 5, the first large eruption took place, sending a column of ash high into the sky. This was just a precursor to the devastating events that would soon follow.

On April 10, 1815, Mount Tambora erupted with unprecedented ferocity. The explosion was so powerful that it was heard over 2,000 kilometres away in Sumatra. The eruption column reached a height of 43 kilometres into the stratosphere, ejecting immense amounts of volcanic ash, pumice, and gases into the atmosphere. Pyroclastic flows—fast-moving currents of hot gas and volcanic matter—swept down the mountain, obliterating everything in their path. The nearby village of Tambora was completely destroyed, and thousands of people living on the island of Sumbawa were killed almost instantly. It is estimated that around 10,000 people died as a direct result of the eruption, either from the pyroclastic flows or the collapse of buildings under the weight of the ash.

However, the death toll from the eruption of Mount Tambora extends far beyond those killed in the initial explosion. The eruption released an enormous amount of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which mixed with water vapour to form sulfuric acid aerosols. These aerosols reflected sunlight away from the Earth, leading to a significant drop in global temperatures. In the months following the eruption, the ash cloud spread across the globe, dimming the sun and causing what is now referred to as a “volcanic winter.”

The year 1816, known as “The Year Without a Summer,” was marked by unseasonably cold temperatures, crop failures, and widespread famine. In Europe, the summer of 1816 saw persistent cold, with snow falling in June and frosts occurring throughout the summer months. The disruption to agriculture was devastating, as crops failed and livestock perished, leading to food shortages and skyrocketing prices. In New England and parts of Canada, similarly harsh conditions led to widespread famine, with many communities struggling to survive the extreme weather.

The effects of the volcanic winter were also felt in Asia, where monsoons were disrupted, leading to droughts in some regions and flooding in others. In China, unusually cold and wet conditions caused rice crops to fail, leading to widespread famine. In India, the disruption to the monsoon season contributed to a cholera pandemic, which spread across the continent and beyond. It is estimated that the indirect death toll from the Tambora eruption, due to starvation, disease, and cold, reached into the tens of thousands.

One of the most significant impacts of the eruption of Mount Tambora was the long-term climatic and environmental changes it caused. The vast amount of volcanic material ejected into the atmosphere altered weather patterns for several years. The sulfuric aerosols in the stratosphere caused a decrease in global temperatures by as much as 3°C in some regions, contributing to what was one of the coldest periods of the 19th century. The cooler temperatures and altered weather patterns persisted into 1817 and 1818, prolonging the agricultural crises in many parts of the world.

Despite the devastation it caused, the eruption of Mount Tambora also had an unexpected influence on culture and the arts. The bleak conditions of 1816 inspired several works of literature, most famously Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which was conceived during the “Year Without a Summer” while Shelley and her companions, including Lord Byron, were trapped indoors by the incessant rain in Switzerland. The eerie, dark atmosphere of that summer is said to have influenced the gothic tone of Shelley’s novel, as well as Byron’s poem Darkness.

Today, Mount Tambora remains an active volcano, though it has not erupted on such a scale since 1815. The eruption reshaped the mountain itself, reducing its height from 4,300 metres to around 2,850 metres and leaving a massive caldera 6 kilometres wide and 1,100 metres deep. The landscape around Tambora is still scarred by the eruption, with the remnants of villages buried under layers of volcanic ash. The eruption of Mount Tambora is a stark reminder of the immense power of nature and its ability to shape the course of human history. It stands as the deadliest volcanic eruption in recorded history, not just because of the immediate loss of life but also because of the far-reaching effects on global climate and society. The lessons learned from the Tambora disaster have helped scientists better understand the links between volcanic eruptions and climate change, as well as the potential consequences of future super-eruptions.