World Map › Major Eruptions › Ritter Island 1888
Historic Eruption
1888 Eruption of Ritter Island
13 March 1888 · Stratovolcano · Papua New Guinea
On 13 March 1888, Ritter Island in Papua New Guinea erupted. The volcano rises to 75 m. Its Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) is 2 out of 8, that of a explosive eruption ejecting more than 1 million m³ of material. The exact death toll is not known. NOAA estimates that it killed more than 1,000 people. Most deaths were caused by the tsunami.
- Date
- 13 March 1888
- Volcano
- Ritter Island
- Volcano Type
- Stratovolcano
- Elevation
- 75 m
- Country
- Papua New Guinea
- Explosivity Index (VEI)
- 2 out of 8
- Estimated Deaths
- more than 1,000 deaths
- Homes Destroyed
- 101 to 1,000
- Estimated Damage
- 5 to 25 million US dollars
- Main Causes of Death
- Tsunami
Other Significant Eruptions of Ritter Island
- 2007May 2007 Eruption · VEI 1 · Debris Avalanche, Tsunami
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database (doi:10.7289/V5JW8BSH) · Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program