# Cities near volcanoes



## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Is your city near a volcano whether it's active or not?

Also, do you consider it an advantage or disadvantage if you city is located near one?

Here are some examples

Mexico City









Yokohama









Tokyo









Seattle


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## DarkLite (Dec 31, 2004)

*San Salvador, El Salvador lies beneath a volcano, thought it has been doramnt for some time now*


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## MDguy (Dec 16, 2006)

Portland,Oregon with mt. Hood, taken by walla2chick from flickr


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## F20B (Feb 23, 2006)

Hey Auckland NZ is on top of 7 volcanoes!!!!


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Fuji is a dormant volcano.


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## tablemtn (May 2, 2006)

There is also Cilaos, a small town located in the caldera of a dormant volcano on Réunion, an overseas "département" of France off the coast of Madagascar:


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## DarkLite (Dec 31, 2004)

*^^ very nice picture tablemtn!*


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## spongeg (May 1, 2006)

Vancouver is near Mt Baker - the volcano itself is in Washington state but vancouver is the closest large city - there are some smaller cities in wa state though as well


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## DiggerD21 (Apr 22, 2004)

Catania, Italia, 303,000 inhabitants. Near Mount Etna. 









Napoli, Italy, 1 million inhabitants. Near the Vesuv.









Both volcanoes are still active.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

I didn't realize Vesuvius is still active. It did destroyed *Pompeii*


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## DiggerD21 (Apr 22, 2004)

There is still a lot of seismic activity in southern Italy. The third volcano down there (the Stromboli) erupted a little a few days ago and the few hundred inhabitants of this volcano island had to be evacuated.


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## Neitzsche (Sep 28, 2005)

F20B said:


> Hey Auckland NZ is on top of 7 volcanoes!!!!


Well off the mark sorry. There are 50 + volcanic sites around AK. More than any other spot on the planet. Will post a few photos shortly. They definately add to the landscape.


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## Chilenofuturista (May 24, 2005)

Volcán Maipo (5264 m asl). 

Is located quite close to Santiago de Chile.


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## Neitzsche (Sep 28, 2005)

Rangitoto is the large volcanoe in the harbour - the island directly next to it - motatapu is also a volcanoe. Otherwise spot the ones peppering the region. There are heaps more, including some caldera's. Apparently we are overdue for another eruption. Next one expected to happen in the harbour near rangitoto - thou the Volcanoes around AK are more of the runny as opposed to explosive variety. That's happens in the volcanic plateau where the Caldera known as lake Taupo could swallow Singapore island.


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## Imperfect Ending (Apr 7, 2003)

majestic yet frightening


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Aquamadoor said:


> majestic yet frightening


It's only frightening if the volcanoes are active are about to erupt. But I think there is a warning and residents can be evacuated before any eruption takes place.


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## cjfjapan (Oct 10, 2004)

hkskyline said:


> Fuji is a dormant volcano.


Fuji has been dormant since 1707, but is listed as an active volcano.

Mount Fuji Overdue for Eruption, Experts Warn
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/07/060717-mount-fuji.html
David Wolman
for National Geographic News
July 17, 2006

At a farmer's cooperative just south of Japan's Mount Fuji volcano, 66-year-old Katsuoku Issei calmly unloads crates of giant radishes and dried taro plant stems from his van.

"We'd sure be in trouble if the mountain erupts," he said, referring to Fuji. "But most people around here don't think it will happen.

"Besides," he added with a gold-toothed grin, "if it does, maybe it will explode off the other side, and here in Fujinomiya, we'll be fine."

Speculation of an eruption first spread in 2000 and 2001, when scientists were shocked to detect swarms of low-frequency earthquakes beneath Mount Fuji.

The announcement sent Japanese media into a frenzy and forced government bureaucrats to dust off disaster management plans.

The episode also prompted the formation of a national committee to assess the current danger of the volcano and create a detailed hazard map of the potentially affected areas, including the town of Fujinomiya.......

continued here

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Shimabara is at the foot of Unzendake, which last erupted in the early 1990s.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

If ever Mt. Fuji erupts, how will it affect Tokyo or Yokohama.

Other than Tokyo and Yokohama, *Shizuoka* is also near Fuji


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## Sinjin P. (Jul 17, 2005)

*Legazpi City, Philippines*


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## Unsing (Apr 15, 2006)

Tokyo is actually a good distance away from Mt. Fuji, so direct damage like magmas covering the city will not happen.

The only problem is volcanic ashes. After the 1707 eruption, many people in Tokyo suffered from a cough. The map shows how volcanic ashes accumulated then.
In addition, if same thing happens today, there will be some trouble with machinery.


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## Fede_Milan (Oct 19, 2006)

Some more pictures of Catania and Naples

*Catania*

Catania (pop. 320.000) has about 850.000 inhabitants in its urban area. Mount Etna erupts very often, once a year at least.







In 2002 a huge eruption took place as you can see from the satellite picture. Volcano ash kept on falling over the city for one month and the airport (the third busiest in Italy) was closed.





Car covered with volcano ash...








*Naples*

Naples (pop. 1.000.000) has a urban area with about 3.600.000 inhabitants. The last eruption of Vesuvius took place in 1944.

Naples in 1944


Naples today


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## redbaron_012 (Sep 19, 2004)

Except for the scenic beauty of a snow capped symetrical mountain ( volcano ) nearby your city...I don't see what advantages there could possibly be...Maybe thermal energy? ..............The novel by Robert Harris..POMPEII is an amazing recreation of the AD79 eruption of Vesuvius.....although a novel it is a fantastic. ( Using historical records from the time) A realistic story of the 4 days leading up to the Eruption through the eyes of four characters.


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## Imperfect Ending (Apr 7, 2003)

Lava rarely does any damage. It's the pyroclastic clouds that does the magic


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## Fede_Milan (Oct 19, 2006)

redbaron_012 said:


> Except for the scenic beauty of a snow capped symetrical mountain ( volcano ) nearby your city...I don't see what advantages there could possibly be...Maybe thermal energy? ..............The novel by Robert Harris..POMPEII is an amazing recreation of the AD79 eruption of Vesuvius.....although a novel it is a fantastic. ( Using historical records from the time) A realistic story of the 4 days leading up to the Eruption through the eyes of four characters.


There are some hot springs close to Naples (Campi Flegrei and Pozzuoli) and in Tuscany (Larderello).
The Campi Flegrei area is very popular for thermal baths while the geothermal activity in Larderello supplies geothermal electricity.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

A volcanic eruption will not only drop ash on the surrounding areas, but can also affect global climate patterns as well. The aftermath of Pinatubo's eruption was felt around the world.


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## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

WANCH said:


> It's only frightening if the volcanoes are active are about to erupt. But I think there is a warning and residents can be evacuated before any eruption takes place.


Better a volcano than an earthquake zone. With earthquakes you get very little to no warning at all...


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## Fede_Milan (Oct 19, 2006)

Unfortunately Catania gets both eruptions and earthquakes.  even if Etna eruptions are not really dangerous as they take place quite often and they occur with big slow magma flows and the explotions are limited to the crater area.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

hkskyline said:


> A volcanic eruption will not only drop ash on the surrounding areas, but can also affect global climate patterns as well. The aftermath of Pinatubo's eruption was felt around the world.


I remembered that. It was decades ago. I was in Taipei when it happened but I heard that the smoke / ash reached HK. 

But Pinatubo's eruption buried nearby towns such as *Bacolor*. I think it's also the reason why US military bases in The Philippines pulled out.

Bacolor


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## [dx] (Oct 7, 2004)

Under the Shadow of Mayon Volcano: Legazpi City, Philippines


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## Sampei (Dec 6, 2005)

Fede_Milan said:


> *Catania*
> 
> Catania (pop. 320.000) has about 850.000 inhabitants in its urban area. Mount Etna erupts very often, once a year at least.


This is one of my favourite pics of *Catania*.

Some ancient views:








(1592)








(1776)










And more recent pics:

















Etna seen from the stadium! 










And special pic of the day...









Etna from Taormina!


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## Unsing (Apr 15, 2006)

In Japan, "city near a volcano" is a synonym for *Kagoshima*, a city located in the north of Kyushu.
The city center is only 4 km away from Sakurajima, which is one of the most active volcanos in Japan.
The volcano has erupted more than 30 times since historic times. Originally, it was one independent island, but 1779 eruption made 6 additional smaller islands, and finally 1914 eruption connected it to the mainland.
The activity still continues, and it's not rare to see it smoking.


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## dave8721 (Aug 5, 2004)

Obviously Honolulu as well:


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## AhChuan (Oct 22, 2006)

Hey...dun forget Mount Kinabalu...highest moutain in South East Asia. Also ranked in world highest mountain....

Luckily....it was a dead volcano. But, my geo teacher it will revive back at anytime now...so scare.

But...it quite far from the city. It near a booming town called Ranau.


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## Chicago3rd (Sep 18, 2004)

MDguy said:


> Portland,Oregon with mt. Hood, taken by walla2chick from flickr



The nob to the left in the city is Mt. Tabor about 600 feet is volcanic and the place where these pictures were taken, the west hills, also volcanic. 

The Wilamette River....a fault...it formed in the fault.


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## dolphin82 (Aug 14, 2006)

These are pics of Mount Etna seen last summer from my window

As you can see it's a pleasure to wake up and have this view...





























on september










-------------------------------------

another point of view...


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## redbaron_012 (Sep 19, 2004)

Dave8721..is that photo above Honolulu showing the crater by the sea Diamond Head??? I have seen many pics of that mountain but never from above and didnt realize that crater was there.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

gladisimo said:


> Better a volcano than an earthquake zone. With earthquakes you get very little to no warning at all...


The problem is some of these cities especially in Indonesia, Japan and The Philippines lie in both volcanic and earthquake zones. It's also same for some cities within *The Ring of Fire* including US cities such as Seattle or Tacoma.

A little off topic but imagine if there were hidden volcanoes within the peaks of HK. Imagine if Victoria Peak was actually a volcano and if it erupt, how will it affect HK?


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## DarkLite (Dec 31, 2004)

*^^ did bacolor ever recover from that disaster in 1991 from pinatubo?*


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## Unsing (Apr 15, 2006)

WANCH said:


> The problem is some of these cities especially in Indonesia, Japan and The Philippines lie in both volcanic and earthquake zones. It's also same for some cities within *The Ring of Fire* including US cities such as Seattle or Tacoma.


Sometimes earthquakes themselves cause eruptions. Actually, the 1707 eruption of Mt. Fuji occurred 49 days after the M 8.4 earthquake, possibly caused by it.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

joaquin said:


> *^^ did bacolor ever recover from that disaster in 1991 from pinatubo?*


It did though the older structures are buried due to lahar flow.

Bacolor chuch today, half buried


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## spotila (Oct 29, 2004)

Napier is about 120km from Mt Ruapehu which last erupted in 1996:


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## goschio (Dec 2, 2002)

Quito (capital of Ecuador) with the volcano Cotopaxi (5900m) in the background.


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## cinosanap (Aug 10, 2004)

Why has everyone started showing pictures of volcanos near cities. :S


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## eomer (Nov 15, 2003)

Clermont-Ferrand is situated next to the Puy de Dôme


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## elgoyo (Jun 29, 2006)

Puebla, Mexico


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

cinosanap said:


> Why has everyone started showing pictures of volcanos near cities. :S


Because that's what the thread is all about 

I didn't realized that Quito is near Cotopaxi. Cotopaxi I think is the highest active volcano.


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## JuanPaulo (Feb 26, 2004)

WANCH said:


> I didn't realized that Quito is near Cotopaxi. Cotopaxi I think is the highest active volcano.



Actually, Quito (population 2 million) is near as many as 10 active volcanoes that could potentially threat the urban areas. The city itself is tucked in a crescent shape high valley that wraps around the Pichincha volcano. This is perhaps the 3nd most active in the region and the most threatening since the city is, literally, right on the slopes of the volcano. Last eruption of Pichincha was in 1999.

Quito Metropolitan District Area Map


*Pichincha *













































And here are the other volcanoes around the city:

*Cotopaxi:*



























*Cayambe:*



























*Antisana:*









*Reventador:*



























*Illiniza:*


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## pilotos (Jan 24, 2007)

^^ ^^ ^^
Best place to build a city!Just 10 volcanoes around its ok, could be also named as the safest city to live in!


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

It isn't my town, but recently I visited a town between two volcanoes.. Soufriere (which is French for sulpher) between the two Piton volcanoes...
This is on the West Indian island of St Lucia:


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## TYW (Sep 11, 2002)

pilotos said:


> ^^ ^^ ^^
> Best place to build a city!Just 10 volcanoes around its ok, could be also named as the safest city to live in!


yea!! coz volcanoes are pretty  even eruptions look pretty

aftermath looks ugly though


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## cinosanap (Aug 10, 2004)

WANCH said:


> Because that's what the thread is all about
> 
> I didn't realized that Quito is near Cotopaxi. Cotopaxi I think is the highest active volcano.


Or not.



> Is your city near a volcano whether it's active or not?
> 
> Also, do you consider it an advantage or disadvantage if you city is located near one?


I think two people have answered his questions.


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## spongeg (May 1, 2006)

pictures are more interesting


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## Annibale (Dec 30, 2006)

redbaron_012 said:


> Except for the scenic beauty of a snow capped symetrical mountain ( volcano ) nearby your city...I don't see what advantages there could possibly be...Maybe thermal energy? ..............The novel by Robert Harris..POMPEII is an amazing recreation of the AD79 eruption of Vesuvius.....although a novel it is a fantastic. ( Using historical records from the time) A realistic story of the 4 days leading up to the Eruption through the eyes of four characters.


About Naples, neither the Greeks, who founded it, nor the romans, who lived in it in 79 ad, did know that Vesuvio was a volcano... they believed that it was just a mountain with very fertile slopes. Or at least I knew that that's the story, but I'm not completely sure.


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## goschio (Dec 2, 2002)

pilotos said:


> ^^ ^^ ^^
> Best place to build a city!Just 10 volcanoes around its ok, could be also named as the safest city to live in!


The city was founded by the Incas.

A reason might be the healthy climate and the high fertility of the land.


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## HirakataShi (Feb 8, 2004)

Mt Fuji is located in Shizuoka prefecture. It is not close to Tokyo.


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## Illari sisa (Feb 5, 2007)

*Arequipa, Peru....*
*Misti volcano*


















































































* Chachani volcano*
































































*Ubinas volcano*


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## Boeing! (Aug 16, 2006)

Naples and the Vesuvius


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## JuanPaulo (Feb 26, 2004)

goschio said:


> The city was founded by the Incas.
> 
> A reason might be the healthy climate and the high fertility of the land.


The city was founded before the Inca time by the Quitus tribe. The Inca later sieged the city and converted it into the capital of their northern empire.

It's believed that the location of the city was chosen because of geographical considerations; the city is in a high valley, with difficult access, and this valley has a small mountain in the middle (Called Panecillo or Bread Loaf) that is believed served as a lookout to spot invadors.

The lower interandean valley is much more fertile and with better climate than the Quito Valley but historians attribute the choice of the higher Quito valley because of religious beliefs......as an example, at noon, the sun casts no shadow in the Quito Valley....something the natives saw as divine.


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## gabo79 (Oct 31, 2008)

,,,


[dx] said:


> Photo by lsgg811
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## diablo234 (Aug 18, 2008)

Guatemala City and Antigua are located close to several volcanos some of which are active such as Pacaya and Volcán de Fuego.


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