Heavy Flavor, Heavy Flow

The largest pyroclastic flow ever recorded occurred during the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia in 1815, one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in history.

The pyroclastic flow, a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic material, covered an estimated 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 square miles), devastating the surrounding area.

These flows reached speeds of up to 700 km/h (435 mph) and temperatures exceeding 1,000°C (1,832°F), obliterating everything in their path.

The Tambora eruption caused massive loss of life, with an estimated 10,000 deaths directly attributed to the pyroclastic flows and many more from subsequent starvation and disease due to the eruption's global climate impact.

This event highlighted the catastrophic potential of pyroclastic flows and their far-reaching effects.