Mount Pinatubo

Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, near the boundaries of the provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It's part of the Luzon Volcanic Arc, and it's best known for its catastrophic eruption in June 1991, which was one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century. Before the 1991 eruption, it stood at about 1,745 meters (5,725 feet); after the eruption, the summit collapsed, forming a caldera, and the height was reduced to about 1,485 meters (4,872 feet). 1991 Eruption Ejected massive amounts of volcanic ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which significantly affected global temperatures (cooling the Earth by ~0.5°C temporarily). Over 800 people died (many from roof collapses due to heavy ashfall), and more than 200,000 people were displaced. Typhoon Yunya, which coincided with the eruption and caused deadly mudflows (lahars). Created a 6-kilometer wide caldera. Ashfall affected areas as far away as the Indian Ocean. Long-term environmental and socio-economic impact on surrounding areas, especially the Aeta people, indigenous communities that lived on its slopes. The caldera has since filled with water, forming Lake Pinatubo—a crater lake that has become a tourist attraction. It is monitored closely by PHIVOLCS (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology). Would you like a timeline of the 1991 eruption, current hiking information, or the science behind the eruption?