[Phsstpok]

Ah, yes, mention a  supervolcano and you get two reactions

"it's alarmist and never going to happen"

or

"remember Krakatoa?"

for both sets of commenters, contemplate this little picture:

 

Now the Toba eruption they mention, 75,000 years ago, put out 2800 cubic kilometers (672 cubic miles), making it larger than the largest Yellowstone eruption on the graphic above.

		Cubic Mi	Cubic KM
Toba	75000	671.8	2,800
Yellowstone	2,000,000	600	2,501
Yellowstone	630,000	240	1,000
Island Park	1,300,000	67	279.27
Tambora	190	36	150.05
Mazama	7,600	18	75.03
Krakatau	122	4.3	17.92
Pinatubo	14	2.4	10
St. Helens	25	0.24	0.83

I think we might want to pay attention to this.

I think we might stop comparing it to Kraktoa (Krakatau).

[Siobhan]

That is very, very helpful. I think for most of ordinary folk Krakatoa is the worst one can imagine because it is a relatively recent event and still in common parlance. But your information puts it all in proper perspective with regard to Lake Toba.

Nevertheless; the fears I hear being expressed I think go beyond all of this toward a contemplation of a Near Extinction Event with multiple volcanic eruptions throughout this region where I live.

[diamond6]

I agree with you.

If a scientist had said that he believed a huge earthquake was due and a giant tsunami would kill over 200,000 people, I'm sure many freepers would have laughed at him too.