On an early May morning in 1883, the captain of the German warship Elisabeth spotted a cloud of ash and dust rising above the uninhabited island of Krakatau. Little did the captain know that his documentation of this ominous cloud would be one of the first recorded volcanic eruptions from this Indonesian island in at least two centuries.
Over the next two months, commercial vessels and sightseeing ships would document similar spectacles, all of which were associated with explosive noises and churning black clouds to sightings of incandescent ash and pumice. Scientific expeditions were also launched. The local inhabitants on the neighboring islands of Java and Sumatra were so impressed with the display, that a near-festive environment took shape. Only later did they realize that these awe-inspiring displays were a prelude to one of the largest eruptions in history.
For those living nearby, the events that began on August 26 would cause the death of approximately 36,000 people and the destruction of hundreds of coastal towns and villagesOn August 26, 1883, a colossal eruption occurred on Krakatau following a series of explosions. The northern two-thirds of the island collapsed beneath the sea, generating a series of lava, pumice, and ash flows and immense tsunamis that ravaged adjacent coastlines. For those living nearby, the events that began on August 26 would cause the death of approximately 36,000 people and the destruction of hundreds of coastal towns and villages.
