Earthquake
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves.
Tsunami
A tsunami also called a tsunami wave train, and at one time incorrectly referred to as a tidal wave, is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, usually an ocean, though it can occur in large lakes.
Tornado
A tornado (often referred to as a twister or, erroneously, a cyclone) is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud.
Floods
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water
Volcanic Eruptions
Volcanoes can cause widespread destruction and consequent disaster through several ways. The effects include the volcanic eruption itself that may cause harm following the explosion of the volcano or the fall of rock.
Largest Volcanic Effusive Eruptions
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Effusive eruptions involve a relatively gentle, steady outpouring of lava rather than large explosions. They can continue for years or decades, producing extensive fluid mafic lava flows. For example, Kīlauea on Hawaiʻi has continued erupting from 1983 to the present, producing 2.7 km3 (1 cu mi) of lava covering more than 100 km2 (40 sq mi). The largest effusive eruption in history occurred in Iceland during the 1783–1784 eruption of Laki, which produced about 15 km3 (4 cu mi) of lava and killed one fifth of Iceland's population. The ensuing disruptions to the climate may also have killed millions elsewhere.
| Eruption | Age (Ma) | Location | Volume (km3) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahabaleshwar–Rajahmundry Traps (Upper) | 64.8 | Deccan traps, India | 9,300 | |
| Wapshilla Ridge flows | ~15.5 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 5,000–10,000 | Member comprises 8–10 flows with a total volume of ~50,000 km3 |
| McCoy Canyon flow | 15.6 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 4,300 | |
| Umtanum flows | ~15.6 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 2,750 | Two flows with a total volume of 5,500 km3 |
| Sand Hollow flow | 15.3 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 2,660 | |
| Pruitt Draw flow | 16.5 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 2,350 | |
| Museum flow | 15.6 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 2,350 | |
| Moonaree Dacite | 1591 | Gawler Range Volcanics, Australia | 2,050 | One of the oldest large eruptions preserved |
| Rosalia flow | 14.5 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 1,900 | |
| Joseph Creek flow | 16.5 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 1,850 | |
| Ginkgo Basalt | 15.3 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 1,600 | |
| California Creek—Airway Heights flow | 15.6 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 1,500 | |
| Stember Creek flow | 15.6 | Columbia River Basalt Group, United States | 1,200 |
