Monday, January 30, 2012

LAVA The Furious Destroyer

Lava means both the molted rock that expelled by a volcano when an eruption occurs and the solid-cold state of that molting rock. The process of melting rocks is formed in the inside of the Earth and some other planets. When the eruption occurs first time lava is liquid and very hot with temperature of 700 to 1200 degree Celsius. Lava can flow long way before getting cold and solid. This excessive hot material destroys both natural and man-made things. Lava has a big history of  destroying localities. Here is some of them.

Towns Destroyed by Lava Flow :

1. Kalapana, Hawaii : Kalapana is a region of Puna District, Hawaii, USA. In 1990 Kilauea volcano erupted and it's lava destroyed almost whole town and the nearby regions. This destruction also made a new coastline. This town is abandoned. But, some people still live there. In 2010 that volcano erupted again. This time lava covered partly the previous covered flow-field. This town is now a tourist spot but only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed to enter there.

2. Koae and kapoho, Hawaii, USA : These two towns are destroyed by the Kilauea volcano. On 12th January, 1960 more than thousand small earthquake shook the total locality. After 24 hours lava came out from the volcano. The main flow went to the sea but that small flow did fanatic job. It destroyed almost 100 homes, farms and other business. From then no lava activity has been seen till this time. The towns are not suitable for living, they are tourist spot now.

Keawaiki of Hawaii is a town which is abandoned 1859 for lava hazard.

3. San Sebastiano al Vesuvio : This is a town of Italy near Naples. In 1044 Mount Vesuvius erupted and it's lava destroyed the town. This town is rebuilt and now people lives there. It is also a tourist spot.

Towns Damaged by Lava flow :

1. Catania, Italy : This city has a live volcano called Mount Etna. After some years this volcano erupts frequently. But, the eruption of 1669 was the biggest and most destructive. At first an earthquake took place, then the volcano started throwing lava. All houses of the city was destroyed by the earthquake. The fields in-front of the city were covered with fiery lava and looking like a lava-lake. The lava flowed faster in first days then it become slow. The city had a sixty feet high wall but it could not stop lava flow. A large part of Catania is destroyed. It took eight years to be cold. After that people rebuilt the city and still now living there with fear of lava-hazard.   

2. Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo : Goma is a eastern city of Congo. This city has a volcano named Nyiragongo. In January of 2002 this volcano erupted and threw huge lava. Because of that lava, forty percent of the city including above forty five thousand houses are destroyed. A runway of the local airport was also flown by lava.

3. Heimaey : Heimaye is a city of Iceland which was destroyed in 1973 by the eruption of volcano Eldfell. That time the city was abandoned but after the city is rebuilt and people live there.

4.Paricutin and  Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro : These twos are small villages located in Mohican, Mexico. These villages are furiously destroyed by eruption of Paricutin volcano from 1943 to 1952.

Without these places there are a lot of volcano that throw lava frequently. The subject of happiness is that, most of these volcanoes are out of localities. Their lava cause harm to the nature and wild animals but human are not disturbed.

It is must to remember that a place destroyed by lava is not suitable for visiting. If necessary, must put on safe and suitable dresses like gloves, coat, hood, mask and heavy boots. An experienced guide should take with in that tour.

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