See These Times the World Almost Ended

The Laki Volcano Eruption

Image source: Cars Iceland

First on our list is the Laki Volcano eruption, also known as the Skaftar Fires on Island. The eruption began on 8th June 1783 in the southern district of Siao, and such an explosion was never seen before. The eruption released more than 14 km of lava and approximately 130 million tons of toxic gas was released in the earth’s atmosphere. As the toxic gas dispersed in the atmosphere, people and animals began to drop dead. Not just limited to that, the acid in the air made temperatures fall below 1.3 degrees below for a couple of years. It damaged crops across Europe and droughts in parts of Asia, leading to deep famine, and the eventual death count was estimated to be six million.