It’s not every day that record-breaking events occur on our planet. However, one such event happened some time ago that not only made history but also blew up all the records. The volcanic eruption that took place in January 2022 has now been reported as the largest volcanic eruption to ever be recorded in the atmosphere.
Discover our latest podcast
The biggest explosion
Previously, the Krakatoa eruption in 1883 held the title of the biggest atmospheric disturbance to ever be caused as reported by BBC News. Krakatoa is a caldera -a cauldron-like hollow that forms after a volcanic eruption- which is located in Indonesia. Unfortunately, at least 30,000 people are said to be victims of this massive disruption, which left a huge imprint on the land at Krakatoa today.
However, the Krakatoa explosion now comes second to Tonga which took the title. According to BBC:
The network's data indicated the Tonga volcano blast produced an atmospheric pressure wave comparable with that from the biggest ever nuclear explosion - the Tsar bomb detonated by the Soviets in 1961 - but lasted four times longer.
The Tonga Explosion
The eruption in Tonga took place in an underwater volcano at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) in the bay of the South Pacific on January 15, 2022. Sadly lives were lost, although not many. It did pave the way for gigantic tsunami waves which are often deadly in nature.
The tonga explosion was so huge that it was visible from outer space, which is how it was recorded. The pressure created from the enormous wave was noticed and then measured from the atmospheric recording instruments from the University of Reading as reported by IndiaEducationDiary.com.
Read more:
⋙ Explorers discover world’s largest underground city in Turkey
⋙ Here's how to watch the Eta Aquariids meteor shower tonight
