Krakatoa’s 1883 eruption caused one of the loudest recorded explosions in history. The Indonesian volcano, situated in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, began a catastrophic sequence of eruptions in August 1883.
The climactic explosions destroyed much of the volcanic island and generated huge pyroclastic flows and tsunamis. The sound was reportedly heard thousands of kilometres away, while atmospheric dust and aerosols produced vivid sunsets and measurable short-term cooling around the world.
The eruption also caused enormous loss of life, mainly through tsunami waves that struck nearby coastlines. The volcano’s remnants later produced Anak Krakatau, or “Child of Krakatoa,” which emerged in the caldera during the twentieth century. Krakatoa is often used loosely for the 1883 volcano, although the surviving volcanic complex is more precisely called Krakatau.