Volcano of the Week #1- Kolumbo

Kolumbo is located on the island of Santorini (or Thera) in Greece, the volcano has erupted many times forming a ring of smaller islands around the volcano. However the most famous eruption is the Minoan eruption with a VEI of 6/7; this means volcanic explosivity index which is a scale that goes up to 8 (for all you non volcano experts) which occurred around 1650 BCE.

There is much speculation surrounding just how great the effects of this eruption were and theories state that it may have wiped out the Minoan civilisation or buried Atlantis. The Minoan settlement at Akrotiri was buried by the eruption and the site is currently being evacuated. Other Minoan settlements on Crete may have been wiped out by devastation to plant life or a tidal wave caused by the eruption. There are similarities between Plato's description of Atlantis and the Santorini islands especially with regards to the quarries and layout. Although it is probably the case that the sinking of this legendary island by a massive Plinian eruption is just a romantic ideal. This iconic eruption may have also allowed the Exodus from Egypt.