1.2.10

Secondary Effects of Volcanoes

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Secondary Effects of Volcanoes

The secondary effects of volcanic eruptions include:

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Volcanic winter

  • Ash can cause a volcanic winter by entering the upper atmosphere and reflecting sunlight.
  • This causes cooling of around 2-4oC.
  • This can cause famine as crops don’t ripen.
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Lahars

  • Lahars (mudflows) can destroy everything in their path, including buildings, homes, workplaces.
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Lost forests and farmland

  • After an eruption, forests and farmland can be lost.
  • This happened when Mt. Saint Helens erupted in 1980, where 9.4 million m3 of timber was lost.
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Flooding and tsunamis

  • Tsunamis can happen as a result of tectonic (relating to the structure of the Earth’s surface) activity.
  • These cause flooding and salinisation (increasing the salt content) of land. This happens because seas inundate (flood) the land.
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Infrastructure damage

  • People may become homeless if their houses are damaged or destroyed.
  • Roads and train lines may be blocked, harming the clean-up operation and the local economy.
  • This can also disrupt tourism.
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Increased soil fertility

  • Once it has been broken down, ash can actually make fields become more fertile and better for growing crops.
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Economic damage

  • If a country's farmland, transport system and people are harmed, the country's economy is also likely to suffer.

Jump to other topics

1The Challenge of Natural Hazards

1.1Natural Hazards

1.2Tectonic Hazards

1.3Weather Hazards

1.4Climate Change

2The Living World

3Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1The UK Physical Landscape

3.2Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.3River Landscapes in the UK

3.4Glacial Landscapes in the UK

4Urban Issues & Challenges

5The Changing Economic World

6The Challenge of Resource Management

6.1Resource Management

6.2Food

6.3Water

6.4Energy

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