When we think of volcanoes often they’re dismissed as extreme natural events from a disaster movie or we think back to Pompeii, but we’re quick to forget that people every day around the world are living near active lava fountains – just waiting for the timer to go off!

We know now volcanic eruptions are no longer punishment from the Gods but where in the world are volcanoes most likely to erupt and cause havoc?

We look at the most dangerous active volcanoes on the planet!

Mauna Loa

Introducing the largest volcano in the world, Mauna Loa sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is one of 5 volcanoes which make up the island of Hawaii.

Mauna Loa has been regularly active for the last 700,000 years and is showing no signs of stopping. Although the lava flows at a slow pace after an eruption, during major eruptions it can flow faster and in 1984 it very nearly reached the heavily populated Hilo.

Taal Volcano

The island of Luzon in the Philippines is dominated by the volcano lying in the middle of Lake Taal. Since 1572, the Taal Volcano has recorded 33 eruptions and it lies just 31 miles away from Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

It is advised you view the active volcano from afar but that doesn’t stop some people from exploring ‘Volcano Island’.

Mt. Nyiragongo

If you’re visiting Africa, Mt. Nyiragongo is the most active volcano on the whole continent and is famous for its large lava lakes which you definitely wouldn’t want to dive into…

In 1977 the lava lake drained when the walls fractured and the lava flowed at an exceptionl 60mph. More recently in 2002, an eruption resulted in 4,500 buildings being destroyed in Goma, 120,000 homeless and 147 killed.

Sakurajima

Sakurajima used to be its own island but lava flow in 1914 caused it to connect to the Japanese mainland. This active natural formation is referred to as the ‘Vesuvius of the east’ with thousands of small explosions happening every year.

The nearby city of Kagoshima even has volcano shelters for people to take cover from falling debris.

Mt. Vesuvius

Made famous by the massive eruption in 79 AD where it buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, Mt. Vesuvius is a force of natural disaster to be reckoned with.

More than 3 million people live close to the crater so with an eruption cycle of just 20 years, it really is living life on the edge!

Yellowstone Caldera

Set within a beautiful national park in the USA is the supervolcano Yellowstone Caldera. Super volcanoes are sunken areas which are the remains of previous eruptions.

A super volcanic eruption has never occurred during the history of mankind as the last explosion we know of happened 640,000 years ago. However, experts predict the eruption would kill 87,000 people immediately with the effects of ash and gas clouds affecting the whole world.

The Yellowstone volcano had a starring role in the disaster film, 2012 – it’s pretty big don’t you think?