A strong lateral explosion on 8 March 1979 from a vent on the floor of Karkar's inner caldera destroyed vegetation on the southern caldera rim. Trees such as these near the outer margin of the devastated area were snapped off at ground level and were oriented towards the SSE. Foliage was stripped from the trees, branches were torn off, and tree trunks had a sand-blasted appearance.

Photo by William Melson, 1979 (Smithsonian Institution)

This image is made available under the Public Domain Dedication CC0 license, but proper attribution is appreciated.

Galleries: Explosive Eruptions

Keywords: deposit | environmental impact

Karkar