Pompeii, RAIN OF TERROR, Click2Disasters.com

<body link="0000ff" alink="ff0000" vlink="000000" bgcolor=000033> <table width="100%" bgcolor=000033> <tr> <td align=center valign=top> <table width=90% bgcolor=ffffff> <tr> <td align=center valign=top> <tr> <td> <div align=center><p><b><font face="arial, helvetica" size=5 color=000000><b>POMPEII</p> <p><font size="4">CHAPTER 6 - RAIN OF TERROR</b></font></p> </div>  <center> <table width="90%"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"> <div align="justify"> <p><font face="arial, helvetica" color="000000" size="3">In a Plinian eruption, volcanic ash and <a href="http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/pumice.html" target="_blank"><b>pumice</b></a> initially rain on surrounding areas. At Pompeii, scientists can distinguish the various layers of debris.</p> <p><a href="http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/Pinatubo/30210599-016_large.jpg" target="_blank"><b>White and gray</b></a> pumice layers, found at the <a href="http://193.204.162.114/vesuvio/gif-ingl/opl-dett.jpeg" target="_blank"><b>bottom</b></a> of the excavations, confirm this type of debris fell first. Pompeii was not destroyed because of pumice debris, however. In fact, human remains <a href="http://193.204.162.114/vesuvio/gif-ingl/pomici.jpeg" target="_blank"><b>found</b></a> above the ash and pumice layers indicate people came back to their homes after the </font></font><font face="arial, helvetica" color="000000" size="3">ashfall</font><font face="arial, helvetica" size=5 color=000000><font face="arial, helvetica" color="000000" size="3"> stopped. Without the knowledge they needed <a href="http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Hazards/Safety/what_to_do_during_ashfall.html" target="_blank"><b>to survive</b></a>, people placed themselves and their children into death’s path.</p> <p>Annihilation occurred hours later, when Vesuvius spewed out pyroclastic surges and pyroclastic flows. A surge can turn pristine lakes and forests - like <a href="http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/MSH/30212265-040_large.jpg" target="_blank"><b>Lake Spirit</b></a> at the foot of Mt. St. Helens - into a kind of <a href="http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/VEffects/SpiritLKAfter_large.JPG" target="_blank"><b>moonscape</b></a>. A pyroclastic flow can bury surrounding areas - like the Marella River <a href="http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/PFeffects/3041135-092_large.JPG" target="_blank"><b>Valley</b></a> near Mt. Pinatubo - to depths of 50-200 meters.</p> <p>A pyroclastic flow first moves into canyons and river beds. At the bottom of the volcano, it can sweep away (or bury) anything in its path, including populated areas. That’s what happened to Pompeii. This link to a U.S. Geological Survey <a href="http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Movs/anim_pf.mov" target="_blank"><b>animation</b></a> (you will need Quick Time) demonstrates a flow’s speed and ferocity.</p> <p>Nothing standing in its way will survive.</p> </div> <p align="center"><font size="2"><a href="pompeii_ch5.htm">GO TO LAST CHAPTER</a>     <a href="pompeii_ch1.htm">BACK TO FIRST CHAPTER  </a>   <a href="pompeii_ch7.htm">GO TO NEXT CHAPTER</a></p><br> </td> </tr> </table>  </td> </tr> </table>  </td> </tr> </table> </body>