The greatest volcanic eruption in recorded history, the Krakatoa explosion of August 27 1883.

The horrific Indonesian tsunami of December 2004 was not the first time that region has seen such destruction. On August 27 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa in the Sunda Straits literally exploded. The resulting tsunami waves were the highest ever witnessed, up to 40 meters tall. Over 36,000 people were killed (the largest death toll ever from a volcanic eruption) and 165 towns and villages were destroyed. The sound of the explosion was the loudest in human history, heard over 1/12 of the Earth's surface. The effects of the eruption were global, cooling the Earth's temperature and producing vivid red sunsets for up to 5 years afterward. Using eyewitness and survivor accounts, this program dramatizes the events leading up to the most famous and most devastating volcanic eruption in recorded human history. Also, volcanologists discuss the science behind the eruption, and compare and contrast the 1883 event with the 2004 tsunami.—yortsnave