For Students
Read Next
Property damage from volcanic eruptions is difficult to estimate, because of differing value systems and changes in land use. One study estimates an average of $1 billion per year in property damage worldwide from volcanic eruptions. As with casualties, a few eruptions cause staggering damage, while most are much less destructive. The Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980 caused more than $1 billion worth of damage, mainly to the timber industry. The economic cost of the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines was estimated at $7 billion, though it is likely that losses continued to mount for years ...(100 of 12070 words)