Mount Pinatubo is a volcano located on Luzon Island in the Philippines. After being dormant for over 500 years, the volcano erupted violently in June 1991, causing widespread destruction. The 1991 eruption was the second most destructive of the 20th century. It killed at least 800 people initially and destroyed thousands of homes and infrastructure. Ash and lava flows severely damaged crops and electricity lines. Long-term impacts included lahars threatening lives and property as well as formation of a new crater lake, Lake Pinatubo.

1. Mount Pinatubo
Ryan Warzeka
Data Analyst

2. Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is a volcano located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
The height of mount Pinatubo is 1,760 meters.
After not erupting for over 500 years, the volcano erupted in June 1991.
This was the second most destructive volcanic eruption in the 20th century.

3. Mount Pinatubo Facts
● Ten weeks of activity then the volcano exploded.
● The second most destructive volcanic eruption in the 20th century was Mt Pinatubo in 1991.
● Produced about 10 cubic kilometers of magma.
● It also caused global ozone depletion in the atmosphere.
● Took many lives of people and also changed the economic activities.
● Spewed ash up to 21 miles into the atmosphere.
● The ash cloud was 249 miles across.
● When the ash started to fall, it mixed with rain which caused house roofs to collapse more than 9
miles away.
● In 1991 the volcanic eruption destroyed 4,979 homes.
● In the following year 3,281 homes were destroyed by a second eruption.
● The impacts of the eruptions continue to this day.

4. Cost and Loss for the Economy
In 1991 damage to crops, infrastructure, and personal property totaled at
least $374 million. Also in 1992, there was an additional $69 million in
damages.
In 1991 an estimated $17 million of business was lost. In 1992 $1.4 million
of business was also lost.
In the provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga, and Zambales, volcanic mudflows
called Lahars continue to threaten lives and property today.

5. Deaths Caused by Mount Pinatubo
In the 1991 eruption
there were at least
800 people killed.
In the 1992 eruption
there were at least 50
or more people killed.
Overall, you can see that the
1991 eruption was much worse
because there were more
people killed. Also, it was
named the second most
devastating eruption in the 20th
century.

6. Plants / Crops
The 1991 Mt Pinatubo eruption destroyed many plants.
However, it helped make the soil more fertile for farming.
In 1992 Mt Pinatubo’s eruption caused destruction to crops
and private property which totaled $74.2 million in US
dollars.

7. Electricity
The damaged caused to the electrical lines when Mt
Pinatubo erupted in 1991 costed approximately $2,860 in
US dollars to repair.

8. Speed of Lava
The speed of the lava going up into the air during the 1991 eruption was
like the speed of an F-15 jet, which is 1,650 mph.

9. Gas in the Air
15-20 million tons of sulfur dioxide were discharged into the
atmosphere following the eruption. When this happened it
caused global cooling which lowered the Earth’s
temperature by one degree.

10. Lake Pinatubo
After the eruption of the volcano a crater lake formed, called Lake Pinatubo.
At first the lake was small, but lots of rainfall increased the lake's size.
Experts feared that the weight of the water could rupture the crater walls so they
engineered permanent drainage controls for the lake.