VOLCANO HAZARDS (PYROCLASTIC FLOW) PREVENTION

I Introduction.

My topic is all about Pyroclastic Flow, which is one of the most dangerous Volcanic Hazards. A pyroclastic
flow is a hot (typically >800 °C or >1,500 °F) chaotic mixture of rock fragments, gas, and ash that moves quickly
(tens of meters per second) away from a volcanic vent or collapsing flow front. Because of their high temperature and
mobility, pyroclastic flows can be extremely destructive and lethal. This Volcanic Hazard consists of high-density
mixtures of hot, dry rock fragments and hot gases that move rapidly away from the vent that erupted them. They can
be caused by the explosive eruption of either molten or solid rock fragments, or both. When you see a pyroclastic flow
approaching, simply run to the opposite side and make sure you run kilometers away because the volcanic gasses will
scatter around the pyroclastic flow in no time.

Specific scenario here in the Philippines is the famous Mt. Mayon. Pyroclastic flows flow down the south-
eastern flank of the Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. The maximum height of the eruption column was 15
kilometers above sea level, and volcanic ash fell within 50 kilometers to the west. The 1984 eruption resulted in no
fatalities because over 73,000 people evacuated the danger zones as recommended by scientists from the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Did you know that a Pyroclastic Flow, as seen in Martinique, can consume an entire island? During the 1902
eruption of Mont Pelee in Martinique (West Indies), a pyroclastic flow (also known as a "nuee ardente") destroyed the
coastal city of St. Pierre, killing nearly 30,000 people. Almost all of their population is either devoured by it or slowly
killed by the toxic volcanic gasses. According to my research, there are only two survivors. One of the survivors is
Sylvaris, and the other is unknown.

The purpose of this paper is to provide enough information about volcanic hazards, especially for those who
live near volcanoes or in the path of volcanic hazards. When people hear about a volcanic eruption in their area, they
appear to panic, so we are here to advise them on how to deal with such situations or phenomena. People who read
this paper will learn how to survive a volcanic eruption and will be aware of the dangers that such hazards pose to
their health, homes, environment, and economy, prompting them to take this matter seriously.

II Current Situation.

Any potentially dangerous volcanic process that endangers human lives, livelihoods, or infrastructure is
considered a volcanic hazard. The area around the volcano may be affected by a variety of hazards, including lava
flows, pyroclastic flows, lahars, and landslides or debris avalanches. However, in my case, I will divide the effects of
Pyroclastic Flow into four categories: impact on people, infrastructure, economy, and environment.

Impact to People. Infectious disease, respiratory illness, burns, difficulty breathing, headache, dizziness, increased
heart rate caused by volcanic gasses, and instant death are all effects of pyroclastic flow on humans. They can also
traumatize, causing enough damage to their brain to put them in a coma.

Impact to Infrastructure. Pyroclastic flow can easily bury, scatter, and ignite structures, destroying them in the blink
of an eye. If you are inside a building in the path of pyroclastic flow, your only option is to evacuate immediately.

Impact to Economy. Renovating a country after it has been ravaged by pyroclastic flow surges can be costly. It will
plunge the country into a crisis, leading to an economic downturn. A country must have a separate fund dedicated
solely to disaster recovery, such as a volcanic eruption, in order to sustain such incidents.

Impact to Environment. Pyroclastic flow can cause forest fires, resulting in a lack of oxygen, as well as scorch
farmland and agricultural challenges, all of which can have a domino effect on other factors such as people, who
require food to survive.
 III Best Practices

Hawaii's Big Island braces for major volcano eruption, prepares for possible evacuation. Scientists have warned
that a steam-driven volcanic eruption could occur almost immediately, so the Hawaii National Guard is preparing to
use ground convoys and even helicopters to evacuate hundreds of residents from an isolated southeast corner of
Hawaii's Big Island. Boulders the size of refrigerators could be thrown a half mile and ash plumes as high as 20,000
could be emitted over a 12-mile area, according to Hawaii Civil Defense officials. "We have all the warning signs we
need," said Steve Brantley, the United States' deputy scientist-in-charge. According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser,
the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory HVO of the Geological Survey. "There may not be any additional warning before
the magma actually starts moving up to the surface," the alert said, adding, "If you are in your car, keep the windows
closed." "Ash fallout may cause poor driving conditions, due to limited visibility and slippery driving conditions."
Drive with extreme caution or pull over to the side of the road and park."

Philippines: Taal Volcano Eruption - Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA). The Philippine Institute of Volcanology
and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) of the Department of Science and Technology raised the Alert Level from 2 to 3 (out of
5) on July 1, 2021, due to increased activity at Taal Volcano, which is located on the island of Luzon in Batangas,
CALABARZON (Region IV-A). An Alert Level 3 indicates that magma is extruding from the main crater, potentially
resulting in an explosive eruption. Taal Volcano is located on Volcano Island and is designated as a Permanent Danger
Zone; however, within a 10-kilometer radius, there are approximately 53,697 people (10,131 families) and CHF 129
million in infrastructure, and 2.81 million people within a 30-kilometer radius (AHA Centre). Taal Volcano is one of
the most active volcanoes in the Philippines, with over 30 recorded eruptions. Taal Volcano erupted in early January
2020, affecting over 736,000 people in CALABARZON (Region IV-A), Central Luzon (Region III), and the National
Capital Region (NCR), resulting in over 135,000 people being evacuated, infrastructure and livelihoods being
damaged, and essential services such as water supply and education being disrupted.

IV. Proposed Innovations

According to my readings, the research gap of my current topic is that the internet does not provide any specific
practices focusing on pyroclastic flow. It must be because the problem is nearly impossible to solve, or the threat of
this topic is not at all preventive.

So, as a STEM student, my proposal is ARTIFICIAL VALLEY. A valley is a well-known elongate depression of the
earth's surface, typically located between ranges of hills or mountains. However, I believe that we can imply artificial
valleys alongside or around the volcanoes. Excavating enough space or land around the volcano will serve as a
reservoir for liquids, including the magma emitted by the volcano.

The purpose of ARTIFICIAL VALLEY is to prevent lava flows, avalanches or landslides, and pyroclastic flows
emitted by the volcano from causing casualties in the area surrounding the volcano. The pros of this proposal are that
we can reduce the casualties caused by volcano hazards, and the cons are that digging such a large number of lands is
laborious or requires many hands.

References

National Geographic Society. (2019, April 4). Pyroclastic flow.

Philippines: Taal volcano eruption - Emergency plan of action (EPoA) DREF n° MDRPH043 - Philippines. (n.d.).
ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/philippines-taal-volcano-eruption-emergency-plan-action-epoa-
dref-n-mdrph043

Stanglin, D., & TODAY, U. (2018, May 12). Hawaii's Big Island braces for major volcano eruption, prepares for
possible evacuation of 2,000. USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/05/12/hawaii-braces-major-
volcano-eruption-prepares-possible-evacuation-2-000/604629002/

Volcanic hazards. (2020, July 22). British Geological Survey. https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/earth-