On August 27, 1883, the most powerful volcanic eruption in recorded history occurred on Krakatoa, a small, uninhabited island in Indonesia. The explosion, heard 3,000 miles away, propelled 5 cubic miles of earth into the air, and set off tsunamis that killed 36,000 people. The volcano began with smaller eruptions that people found “intriguing.” Excitement turned to horror in late August as Krakatoa set off a chain of natural disasters. It is still an active volcano.
