After the first eruption of Krakatoa on August 26th, 1883, the citizens of the Sunda Strait may have assumed the worst was over. But they were about to experience a tsunami that would be the first of many over the next 24 hours. On top of this, pyroclastic flows were on their way, ready to burn those running for safety in the hills. With such an extreme leve ... Show More
Aug 2024
Krakatoa!
The awesome, brutal power of the Krakatoa eruption, which had the explosive force of a 200-megatonne bomb, killed more than 36,000 people and cooled the entire Earth by an average of 0.6°C.
Curiously, Krakatoa is not the most powerful volcanic eruption in history, but it is perh ... Show More
11m 45s
Nov 2024
Whakaari: Eruption on White Island | Hell on Earth | 2
As a wave of burning steam, ash and debris rolls down toward the shore, 47 tourists and guides sprint for cover, but there is no avoiding the blast. Meanwhile, a boat full of tourists that just left White Island returns to help. And back on the mainland, a local helicopter pilot ... Show More
38m 19s
Nov 2025
Tsunami in Thailand | Strange Tide | 1
On the morning of December 26th, 2004, a 9.1 earthquake struck in the Indian Ocean, triggering a tsunami. Along Thailand’s west coast, tourists like Ed and Helen Muesch, and residents like fisherman Wimon Thongtae went about their days, as usual. They were all unaware that a mass ... Show More
40m 42s
May 2025
Mount St. Helens | Awakening | 1
In March 1980, after 120 years of dormancy, the volcano Mount St. Helens in Washington State begins showing signs of life. Scientists warn that a major eruption is coming, but they’re unable to completely block off access to the mountain. Some locals, like lodge owner Harry Truma ... Show More
43m 55s
Nov 2025
Tsunami in Thailand | Overtaken | 2
As the wave barreled ashore on Thailand’s west coast, people were sucked under a powerful wall of water that was so strong it ripped the clothes off their backs. It separated husbands from wives, and parents from their children. Six miles out to sea, fisherman Wimon Thongtae race ... Show More
30m 14s
Nov 2024
Whakaari: Eruption on White Island | A Perfect Day | 1
On December 9, 2019, 47 tourists and guides set off to visit New Zealand’s most active volcano — Whakaari / White Island — located 30 miles off the country’s north coast. Visitors are amazed as they hike up to the edge of the blue lake at its center, and peer down into the steami ... Show More
38m 44s