This 7x-speed footage captures a massive pyroclastic flow racing down Indonesia’s Mount Semeru as the volcano unleashed a powerful eruption. | AccuWeather

PYROCLASTIC FLOW A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of extremely hot gas, volcanic ash, and rock fragments that rushes down the slopes of a volcano during explosive eruptions. These flows can reach speeds of over 320 km/h and temperatures exceeding 1,000 °C, making them one of the most dangerous volcanic hazards. Unlike lava flows, pyroclastic flows can travel great distances, destroy everything in their path, and cause widespread devastation due to their speed, heat, and suffocating as

A breathtaking yet terrifying moment as Chile’s Calbuco Volcano unleashes a massive pyroclastic flow stretching over 7 km at sunset. The sky burns with fiery hues while ash clouds tower into the heavens, capturing the raw, unstoppable force of nature. A scene that reminds us how small we truly are before the power of the Earth. #Ethiopia #volcanoeruption #EpicEruption | Space Xplore

NEWBORN LAVA DOME SPOTTED AT MAYON VOLCANO AS PYROCLASTIC FLOW OCCURS A newborn dark lava dome was observed at the summit of Mayon Volcano as it released a pyroclastic density current (PDC), or “uson,” at around 11:40 AM on Jan. 8. A total of 49 PDCs have been recorded at the volcano since this morning. Alert Level 3 remains in effect over Mayon, and entry into the 6-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone is strictly prohibited. 📷: PHIVOLCS | GMA Public Affairs

When a volcano erupts, pyroclastic flows are often the biggest danger to anyone nearby. These fast-flowing currents of rock, ash and hot gas are extremely difficult to study, so researchers created their own. Read the related Nature Geoscience paper here: https://go.nature.com/2Im1bYs | Nature Portfolio