16. Reading: Natural Disasters

 

In April 1815, on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, Mount Tambora erupted after lying dormant for centuries. The explosion was so vast that it is still considered the most powerful volcanic eruption in recorded history. Entire villages were destroyed in an instant, and tens of thousands of people in the region lost their lives. Witnesses described the sound as louder than cannon fire, echoing across the seas for more than 2,000 kilometres.

 

Within hours, a massive column of ash and gas rose over 40 kilometres into the sky. Winds carried these particles across continents, forming a dark veil that wrapped around the globe. This veil reflected sunlight away from the Earth, lowering global temperatures. Volcanologist Dr Helen Porter notes, “Tambora shows us that a single eruption can act like a dimmer switch on the entire planet’s climate.”

 

The following year, 1816, became known as “The Year Without a Summer.” In Europe and North America, instead of warm months, people faced freezing winds, ruined crops, and even snowfall in June. In Ireland, crop failures worsened famine, while in New England food prices doubled, leaving families desperate. Historian Michael Grant explains, “Tambora did not create poverty, but it made existing struggles almost unbearable.”

 

In Indonesia, the destruction was immediate and absolute. Villages near Tambora were buried under metres of ash, and farmland disappeared beneath grey dust. For days, the skies stayed black as night, and survivors described the silence as eerie and unbroken. The once fertile land became desolate, resembling the surface of the moon.

 

Scientists today see Tambora as a turning point in understanding Earth’s systems. Volcanic gases, especially sulphur dioxide, had reached the stratosphere, where they turned into aerosols that reflected sunlight for several years. Geologist Professor Luis Moreno observed, “Tambora was not just a local tragedy but a planetary event.” Climate researchers now compare its effects with modern concerns: a major eruption today could disrupt food systems for billions. NASA satellite models show that a similar event could lower global temperatures by up to 1.5°C for several years.

 

The eruption also left its mark on culture. In Switzerland, the gloomy summer skies trapped writers indoors. One of them, Mary Shelley, began her novel Frankenstein, inspired by the eerie atmosphere. Meanwhile, the painter J.M.W. Turner captured sunsets filled with strange crimson and orange tones, caused by volcanic dust scattered in the upper air.

 

Today, Mount Tambora stands quietly, cloaked in forest once more. Yet scientists monitor it carefully with seismographs and satellites. Its slopes are studied for soil recovery, and its crater, more than 6 kilometres wide, attracts researchers and visitors alike. Tambora remains a warning written in ash and stone: a sleeping giant whose roar once reshaped the world.