The Explosive Legacy of Krakatoa

Krakatoa, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra in Indonesia, is a caldera that is part of the Krakatoa archipelago. The archipelago consists of four islands, with Lang and Verlaten being remnants of an earlier volcanic structure destroyed in pre-1883 eruptions, and Rakata being the remnant of a larger island destroyed in the infamous 1883 eruption. In 1927, a new island called Anak Krakatoa (“Child of Krakatoa”) emerged from the caldera formed in 1883. Since the late 20th century, Krakatoa has experienced new eruptive activity, including a significant collapse that triggered a deadly tsunami in December 2018.

The most significant eruptions of Krakatoa occurred on 26–27 August 1883, ranking among the most violent volcanic events in recorded history. The eruption had an estimated Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6, equivalent to 200 megatons of TNT and about 13,000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb. The cataclysmic explosion ejected approximately 25 km3 (6 cubic miles) of rock and was heard over 3,600 km away in Australia and 4,780 km away near Mauritius.

The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa in the Sunda Strait, spanning from May 20 to October 21, culminated in a catastrophic collapse of over 70% of the island and its surrounding archipelago. Occurring on August 27, the eruption ranks among the deadliest and most destructive volcanic…