Regarded as the largest and deadliest volcanic eruption in the 20th century, the Pinatubo Volcano devastated the island of Luzon in 1991. Displacement of local populations, ruined infrastructure, an eradicated economy and decimated ecosystems are just some of the effects still felt today.
Facts
Mount Pinatubo is located in the Philippines about 90 kilometers northwest of Manila on the island of Luzon. It reaches 1,745 meters above sea level and straddles the provinces of Pampanga, Zambales and Tarlac in the central region of the island. It is home to the Aeta people, a semi-nomadic tribe who fled to the mountains during the Spanish conquest in 1565. Before its eruption, it was covered by dense forest, which supported the population of several thousand indigenous people.
Eruption
Though radiometric dating indicates the Pinatubo Volcano has been active for over 1.1 million years, it lay dormant for more than four centuries before its deadly eruption in 1991. After two months of emissions and small explosions, a series of large eruptions began on June 12, 1991. Culminating on June 16, Mount Pinatubo erupted over 19 consecutive times in a single day and produced incandescent lava flows moving at 80 kilometers per hour and reaching over 16 kilometers from the center of activity. Eruption columns reached as high as 30 kilometers upwards. This internationally known eruption killed 847 people, injured 184, left 23 missing and displaced over 1 million residents of the island.
Aftermath
The local environment and economy were devastated after the 1991 eruption. Ashfall, pyroclastic flow and lahar (volcanic debris mixed with rainwater) crippled the infrastructure of the island and destroyed vast agricultural lands. Power lines, roads, bridges, water services and buildings were severely damaged by fast-moving lahars and the weight of accumulated ash deposits. The U.S. Clark Air Force Base, located some 16 kilometers east of the volcano, was forced to close due to irreparable damage. Volcanic dust blanketed the metropolitan center of Manila and caused public closings.
Significance
The Aeta people revered Mount Pinatubo as a sanctuary of worship where their God, Apo na Mallari, dwells. It is a place where communion with ancestral spirits in the form of animals, plants and trees is a part of daily life. Mount Pinatubo was the physical, cultural and spiritual homeland of the Aeta people.
Current Activity
Mount Pinatubo erupted again in 1992 when a new lava dome began to grow in the caldera. Though the violent eruption of 1991 is still unmatched, seismic activity continues to occur.
Tags: Mount Pinatubo, Aeta people, Pinatubo Volcano, eruption 1991, island Luzon
