10 Dangerous Volcanoes That You Should Fear

When you think about volcanoes, several descriptions come to mind. Awe-inspiring. Beautiful. Dangerous. Destructive. You might think that volcanos that erupt frequently are the ones that should worry everybody the most, but in fact the volcanoes that haven’t erupted in centuries pose the highest risk, especially if they’re located in heavily populated areas. The reason for this? When they go a long time without exploding, the mounting pressure builds up, so when it does occur, the results are especially devastating. But don’t worry; you’ll be fine. Unless you happen to live near the volcanoes on this list anyway.

10. Campi Flegrei, Italy

If you’re concerned about apocalyptic-level volcano eruptions, the super volcano Campi Flegrei should be at the top of your list. It’s 18 miles wide and part of it is under the Bay of Naples, an area with 6 million people, 1 million of whom live inside the crater. Although it hasn’t erupted since 1538, you can never rule out the possibility that it will happen again. Scientists believe that if it does occur, the strength would be between 100 and 1,000 times greater than the devastating Mount St. Helens eruption of 1980.

9. Cotopaxi, Ecuador

Situated in the Cordillera Central mountain range of central Ecuador, Cotopaxi is one of the tallest volcanoes on the planet, reaching nearly 20,000 feet, or around seven Burj Khalifas. Unfortunately, it also happens to be one of the country’s most active volcanoes, recording 50 eruptions over the past 250 years. While its most recent eruption was all the way back in 1904, many feared that it was on the verge of another one in 2005. Considering that it’s located near a heavily populated area, any major eruption could result in a serious human catastrophe.

8. Galeras Volcano, Colombia

This large volcano is located near the city of Pasto, and has been active for more than a million years! As a result of long-term hydrothermal alteration, debris avalanches are frequent, which pose a danger to the people who inhabit the area. In 1993, an eruption killed 9 people, 6 of whom were scientists studying the volcano. There were also two eruptions in 2010.

7. Kelud Volcano, Indonesia

The most active volcano in East Java, Kelud is known for being extremely violent, with frequent explosions that have killed thousands of people. The worst of these eruptions took place in 1914, which led to the draining of its crater lake, with the resulting mudflows killing 5,000 people. Another major explosion took place in 2014, with a huge column of ash drifting over the Indian Ocean.