Located near Naples, Italy, Vesuvius last had a violent eruption in 1944, towards the end of the Second World War. It could be a few hundred years before another dangerous, explosive eruption occurs, finds a new study by volcano experts at ETH Zurich.
Vesuvius is one of Europe’s most dangerous volcanoes. More than three million people live in its immediate vicinity, and in historical and prehistoric times, there were explosive eruptions that destroyed entire settlements and towns in the area.
So, the pressing question is: When will Vesuvius erupt again and how strong could the eruption be?
To answer this question, a research group at ETH Zurich, in collaboration with researchers from Italy, has taken a close look at the four largest eruptions of Vesuvius over the last 10,000 years so that they can better assess whether a dangerous event might be expected in the foreseeable future.
Read more at ETH Zurich
Image: Pompeii was destroyed in 79 AD during a massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius. (Credit: Jörn-Frederik Wotzlaw / ETH Zürich)