Eruption of Mount Vesuvius

16th December 1631

On this day the volcano, Mount Vesuvius, in southern Italy, after about five centuries in a state of quiescence, erupted violently. The explosion caused a giant column of smoke which lasted for about eight hours and showered the entire area with lapilli (solidifying lava fragments from 2 to 64 mm in size) . The following morning there was a violent earthquake, followed by massive lava flows which rapidly destroyed the lush vegetation, vineyards and orchards on the slopes of the volcano and overwhelmed several villages. The final death toll was estimated at around 3000 people.

Puoi trovare altre brevi notizie storiche QUI


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Author: Tony

Born and raised in Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Educated at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, England. Living in the foothills of Mount Etna since 1982 and teaching English at Catania University since 1987.

6 thoughts on “Eruption of Mount Vesuvius”

  1. I wonder what kind of gloves is needed to pick the lapilli! Would you handle them with your bare hands?
    Imagine that boy, the lapilli measurer, chasing them, catching them, measuring them and correcting the old wrong measurement in the notebook, which was supposed to be from 2 to 65 mm.
    It was a mistake, the longest lapilli caught was 64 mm.

    Triple socle!!!

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    1. I believe that later a certain Pippo Papavero actually found a 65mm lapillo in the remains of his grandmother’s gin and tonic the following day!

      Liked by 1 person

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