| Abstract: | During one week (28 March-4 April 1982), three powerful explosive eruptions (VEI 5) of El Chich??n Vol-cano caused the worst volcanic disaster in Mexico‘s recorded history. Pyroclastic flows and surges obliterated nine villages, killing about 2,000 people, and ashfalls downwind posed socio-economic hardships for many thou-sands of inhabitants of the States of Chiapas and Tabasco. The unexpected and vigorous eruption of 28 caused a hasty, confused evacuation of most villagers in the area. Activity was greatly diminished the next five days, and then the most powerful and lethal eruptions occurred 3-4 April-tragically, after many evacuees were allowed by authorities to return home. Unfortunately, the eruptions came as an almost total surprise for scientists and government authorities, effectively precluding opportunities to implement timely mitigative countermeasures. During the months before eruption onset, fumarolic activity increased and inhabitants living close to the volcano felt occasional earth-quakes, prompting the Chiapas government to request help from the Federal government. Both the Chiapas and Federal governmental actions were slow, and the requested assistance came after the volcano erupted. Perhaps the most important lesson learned from the disastrous outcome at El Chich??n is that its decreased activity (29 March-2 April) should not have been assumed by the senior scientist on site-and the military authorities acting on his advice-to signal the end of eruption. While the 1982 eruptions caused a national tragedy, they also fos-tered multidisciplinary studies of eruptive phenomena, not only at El Chich??n but also other explosive volcanoes in the world. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70035886 |
| Citation Author: | Tilling, R. I. |
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| Citation End Page: | 19 |
| Citation Issue: | 1 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Geofisica Internacional |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 17 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | El Chich??n‘s "surprise" eruption in 1982: Lessons for reducing volcano risk; 2009; Article; Journal; Geofisica Internacional; Tilling, R. I. |
| Citation Start Page: | 3 |
| Citation Volume: | 48 |
| Citation Year: | 2009 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | El Chich??n‘s "surprise" eruption in 1982: Lessons for reducing volcano risk; 2009; Article; Journal; Geofisica Internacional; Tilling, R. I. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| Date Other: | Thu, 1 Jan 2009 00:00 -0600 |
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