Krakatoa

One hundred twenty-two years ago, one of the most destructive powers of Nature was felt around the globe. This power was from the explosion of Krakatoa, an island volcano that lies in the Sunda Strait. The scientists of the time struggled to comprehend the destruction that resulted from this great explosion. The results from the examination of the destruction established a landmark in learning about volcanoes.

But let us back up a bit and learn exactly what happened before the Great Explosion happened.

In 416 A.D. Ancient Krakatoa destroyed itself in a massive eruption. Over the next 1200 years, minor eruptions rebuilt the volcano. These small eruptions helped release the pressure created by the enormous geological forces beneath the island. But over time, a plug of viscous magma formed in Krakatoa's throat preventing the gasses and magma from escaping to the surface. This in turn caused the eruptions to cease, and by 1883 Krakatoa was a time bomb just waiting to explode.

In Ketimbang, in March 1883, six months prior to the great explosion, there were subtle warning signs that were undetectable to humans. In Jakarta, the East Indies capital, there was a young volcanologist by the name of Sherman and who worked under Dr. Vanderstock, one of the foremost scientists at the time. Sherman went to Vanderstock wanting to relate studies on animal behavior prior to changes in the earth, such as earthquakes and volcanoes, and wanting to use those studies to help predict the weather. Vanderstock said, "That is hardly science." Sherman replied with, "Sure, it is everything is science."

In Ketimbang, in May 1883, four months prior to the great explosion, tremors were felt. On May 9th, just before midnight, a large tremor hit. It was the first large warning sign that Krakatoa was waking up. On May 20th, there was a huge explosion at 10:30AM. The intense pressure that had been building was finally released. This explosion was felt 83 miles away in Jakarta. This was just the prelude to the big explosion. On May 21st, the scientist Berring was told to go to the island to see what happened. Though he was only able to get within view of Krakatoa, he was able to see that Krakatoa was a serious threat. On May 27th, the large eruptions abated, which now left an eerie calm. Sherman and Vanderstock ventured to Krakatoa to collect valuable samples. What they saw astounded them. The island was smoldering and charred, smoke and sulfuric acid choked them as they walked around the total destruction. Their initial study of Krakatoa became the first real study of a volcano and how it works.

August 26, 1883, became known as the Day of The Great Eruption. At 1:06PM the three craters erupted in a volley of eruptions. After that, there were explosions every ten minutes or so. Heavy ash and pumice fell from the sky. The crew of a ship twelve miles away saw the explosions firsthand. As far as 23 miles away a heavy rain of ash and pumice fell.

At 5:30AM, on the 27th of August, the first of four truly cataclysmic eruptions occurred. At 6:44AM the second eruption occurred. It caused shockwaves that created some of the largest tsunamis ever witnessed. The Fourth Point Lighthouse was destroyed, not from just the wave, but from a large piece of coral that had been picked up by the wave and slammed into it. On the Fourth Point Lighthouse coast 19,600 Javanese died. At 10:02AM the third eruption happened. Krakatoa erupted with such force that it was heard over a 12th of the Earth's surface. The sound of the detonation was heard 2000 miles away south to the coastline of Australia, and 3000 miles west to the coastline of Rodriguez Island in the Indian Ocean. In Ketimbang, 8,038 people died from a massive tsunami. Leaving death and destruction in its wake, the tsunami funneled its way up the Lampong Bay, continuing to slow