1840 Eruption of Savo
Savo in the Solomon Islands erupted in 1840 with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. The eruption killed 100 people.
Where it erupted
Savo, Solomon Islands, with its other significant eruptions.
The eruption
- Date
- 1840
- Volcano
- Savo, stratovolcano
- Country
- Solomon Islands
- Volcanic Explosivity Index
- 3, moderate to large (eruption column 3 to 15 km)
- Killed by
- Pyroclastic flows, surges and direct blasts
- Location
- 9.130° S, 159.820° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 100
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Between about 1830-1850 AD, ash and stones killed many people. Petterson et al. (2003) estimated tens to hundreds of fatalities. (reference #9675)
Between about 1830-1850 AD, ash and stones killed many people. On one occasion nuees ardentes killed all inhabitants of the island; on another occasion a few people survived. (reference #1412)
Other significant eruptions of Savo
More
Sources
Volcanoes and significant eruptions from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 4445.