September 29, 1650 Eruption of Kolumbo

Some died of opthalmias caused by sulfurous vapor; others (approx. 50) were suffocated by vapors on Sept 30. The crew of a ship passing too near the volcano was suffocated on Oct 2. Others (approx. 20 laborers) were killed by a shower of black dust on Nov 4. Fytikas attributes 50 deaths to a tsunami, and does not mention other fatalities. [Reference #1633 - Fytikas lists 50 deaths due to gases from the eruption?] (reference #9675)

On 29/9/1650 a tsunami caused serious damage to Thera's coasts and to other islands, within a radius of 150 km. The SO2, which was produced in large quantities from Kolombos centre, proved to be a serious danger when the volcanic plume was directed by the wind towards Thera. More than 50 people lost their lives and more than 1O00 animals were killed... Gases from the eruption of 1650 caused the death of 50 people and more than 1O00 animals on Thera. (reference #1633)

At least seventy people staying offshore or along the north-eastern coast of Santorini died from asphyxiation. Men approaching the eruption site by boat on October 2 were found burnt, but there is no clear evidence of pyroclastic surges flowing over water to reach the coast of Santorini, as occurred during the 1883 eruption of Krakatau (Carey et al.,1996; Paris et al., 2014b). (reference #12780)

On September 27, in the area where the discoloration of the seawater had been observed, a small, elliptical-shaped white islet (a few tens of meters in size) appeared, and later, terrestrial volcanic activity began. On September 27 and 28, numerous explosive episodes (6–7 per day) were reported, featuring a small explosive plume (a few tens of meters) and a loud, sharp crack, which produced cinder and foulsmelling volcanic gases. On September 28, the ejection of incandescent fragments was reported. (reference #4497)

The only known historical eruption that occurred at Kolumbo volcano was the one during 1650 CE. From a series of original information sources [2,6,14–16,19,26], we learn that intense seismic activity was noted as early as March 1650 CE. The eruption occurred from September to December 1650 CE with the paroxysmal phase taking place on 29 September/9 October with a Plinian-style rhyolitic explosive episode. The eruption was accompanied by important phenomena such as damaging earthquakes, tephra falls, deadly gas discharge and a powerful tsunami that hit Santorini violently, nearby islands and north Crete. It has been estimated that about 50 deaths were caused in Santorini, nearly all due to suffocation caused by the release of poisonous gases rich in H2S. (reference #14510)

Note: this is a submarine eruption of Kolumbo crater