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Volcano Kilauea in the United States of America

Volcanoes in the United States of America

With 17 volcanoes in the United States of America there have been a total of 29 significant eruptions over the past 2,000 years. Over 5,400 people were killed. The worst volcanic eruption in terms of deaths, destroyed houses and financial damages happened on 05/18/1980 with the eruption of "St. Helens". Here, 57 people died.

Out of 84 volcanos in the United States of America, 69 are considered still active. Additionally there is one active submarine volcano off the coast.

Other natural hazards in the United States of America:
Earthquake
Tsunamis
Hurricanes
Current volcanoes worldwide


Back to overview: United States

The United States is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which stretches for about 40,000 km around the Pacific Ocean. Here the tectonic plate of the Pacific collides with several surrounding continental plates and seismic tremors occur again and again. Most of the world's volcanic eruptions, which are also the most severe, occur in this zone.

Significant volcanic eruptions in the United States of America in the last 2000 years

Volcano Kilauea in the United States of AmericaThe following list shows all volcanic eruptions of the last 2,000 years with significant damage. The column "VEI" stands for the volcano explosivity index, which represents the strength of the eruption from a geological point of view. This takes into account the height and volume of the rocks ejected. The scale ranges from 0-8, with the severity of the eruption increasing tenfold with each value. For example, a VEI of 1 means that the volcano throws lava and rock masses of 100,000 to 1 million cubic meters up to 1 kilometer high. From VEI 8, a volcano is considered a super volcano. Here, more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of tephra are thrown to altitudes of more than 25 kilometers.

The highest explosivity index in the United States of America reached in the review period was VEI 6 in 1912. The volcano Novarupta threw tephramasses of at least 10 cubic kilometers over 25 kilometers high. Such an intensity is normally only achieved every 100 years.

The most famous volcanoes in the USA are probably the Yellowstone volcano in Wyoming and the Kilauea in Hawaii. Both volcanoes are not very dangerous on their own, but as active volcanoes, they are very attractive for tourists. The natural spectacle in the Yellowstone National Park of the same name is particularly attractive due to the well-known geysers.

Hawaii, on the other hand, is about 5,000 km away in the Pacific and was created by volcanic activities. Kilauea has several craters and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, but has not caused any catastrophic damage since 1790.

The majority of the volcanoes are located in the state of Alaska. The arch of the Aleutian Islands reaches from the northern end of the Pacific Ocean to Asia and lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire. The 160 islands were formed by countless volcanic eruptions.

EruptionVolcanoVEIDeathsTotal damage
04/28/2018Kilauea10
02/01/2018Kilauea11
06/09/2016Yellowstone01
06/09/2016Yellowstone01
11/10/2014Kilauea00
08/08/2008Kasatochi30
11/03/2000Kilauea02
04/28/1998Kilauea01
04/19/1993Kilauea01
09/17/1992Spurr41
12/25/1980Hood01
05/18/1980St. Helens557
03/11/1957Vsevidof20
06/10/1944Cleveland31
01/01/1934Hood01
05/10/1924Kilauea21
09/06/1912Novarupta62
10/06/1883Augustine48
08/29/1878Okmok20
04/03/1868Mauna Loa20
09/12/1866Ofu-Olosega20
01/01/1824Shishaldin30
03/01/1820Westdahl20
01/01/1800St. Helens50
01/01/1800Hualalai02
11/01/1790Kilauea45405
01/01/1540Augustine40
01/01/0800Bona-Churchill60
01/01/0060Bona-Churchill60


All volcanoes in the United States of America

VolcanoElevationStatusLast eruption
Adak631 mSolfatara stage
Akutan1300 mActive
Amak546 mActive
Amukta1064 mActive
Aniakshak Crater1356 mActive
Bogoslof46 mActive
Carlile1620 mActive
Ceber780 mSolfatara stage
Chagulak1145 mSolfatara stage
Chiginagak2434 mActive
Cleveland1740 mActive06/10/1944
Coso Hot Springs1290 mSolfatara stage
Craters of the Moon2005 mPotentially active
Fisher1080 mActive
Gilbert819 mSolfatara stage
Glass Mountains2350 mPotentially active
Great Sitkin1754 mActive
Haig1400 mPotentially active
Haleakala3055 mActive
Hualalai2515 mActive01/01/1800
Iliamna Vol3091 mActive
Isanotski2495 mActive
Kagamil898 mActive
Kanaga1356 mActive
Kasatochi310 mPotentially active08/08/2008
Kilauea1222 mActive04/28/2018
Kiska1227 mActive
Knife Peak2313 mSolfatara stage
Koniuji270 mActive
Kookooligit Mtns.631 mPotentially active
Korovin1489 mActive
Kukak Vol2003 mActive
Lassen Peak3189 mActive
Little Glass Mount.2109 mPotentially active
Little Sitkin1202 mActive
Makushin2048 mActive
Martin1844 mActive
Mauna Loa4170 mActive04/03/1868
Morzhovoi2600 mActive
Mt. Adams3754 mPotentially active
Mt. Baker3316 mActive
Mt. Blackbern5039 mSolfatara stage
Mt. Douglas2328 mSolfatara stage
Mt. Emmouns1326 mPotentially active
Mt. Gareloi1637 mActive
Mt. Hood3424 mPotentially active
Mt. Katmai2298 mActive
Mt. Kliuchef915 mSolfatara stage
Mt. Mageik2223 mActive
Mt. Mazama2723 mPotentially active
Mt. Moffett1196 mSolfatara stage
Mt. Peulik1533 mActive
Mt. Rainier4395 mActive
Mt. Recheshnoi1940 mActive
Mt. Sanford4950 mSolfatara stage
Mt. Shasta4317 mActive
Mt. Spurr3374 mActive
Mt. St. Helens2975 mActive
Mt. Veniaminof2575 mActive
Mt. Vsevidof2123 mActive
Mt. Wrangell4320 mActive
Novarupta841 mActive09/06/1912
Okmok Caldera1079 mActive
Pavlof Sister2149 mActive
Pavlof Vol2731 mActive
Pogromhi2300 mActive
Redout Vol3129 mActive
Sarichef614 mActive
Seguam1056 mActive
Segula1159 mPotentially active
Shishaldin2874 mActive01/01/1824
Sidney Cowan2125 mActive
St Augustin1218 mActive
Steamboat1415 mSolfatara stage
Sugarloaf857 mSolfatara stage
Tana1770 mSolfatara stage
Tanaga2138 mActive
Trident2082 mActive
Tulik1252 mActive
Uliaga887 mPotentially active
Westdale Peak1541 mActive
Yellowstone2500 mSolfatara stage
Yukon2469 mPotentially active
Yunaska603 mActive



These statistics are based on datas from the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program (GVP), and the Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database of the National Geophysical Data Center (NOAA) / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) doi:10.7289/V5JW8BSH. Several data have been summarized and translated.
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