The natural disaster on Krakatoa in 1883 was a massive volcanic eruption.
Krakatoa, also spelled Krakatau, was a volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, in what is now Indonesia. Activity began in May 1883, intensified during August, and reached its catastrophic climax on August 27. A series of enormous explosions destroyed most of the island and caused the volcanic caldera that remains today.
The eruption generated ash clouds, pyroclastic flows, and powerful tsunamis. At least 36,000 people died, with most deaths attributed to the waves that struck nearby coastlines. The largest explosions were heard thousands of kilometres away, including in Perth, Australia, and atmospheric dust produced vivid sunsets around the world.
The event is often described simply as “Krakatoa,” but that name refers to the volcano and island, not the disaster itself. The disaster was the 1883 eruption and its consequences. A new volcanic island, Anak Krakatau (“Child of Krakatoa”), later emerged from the caldera in 1927.