What is a volcanic eruption?
Volcanic eruptions happen when a volcanic vent discharges lava and gas.
Volcanoes can blast out ash, solid rocks, lava and gases that can kill people, disrupt air travel and destroy buildings:
- Flowing lava, which can reach 1,250 degrees Celsius or more, can burn everything in its path
- Boulders of hardening lava can rain down on villages
- Mud flows from rapidly melting snow can strip mountains and valleys bare and bury towns
Ash and toxic gases can cause lung damage and disrupt air travel.
Approximately 40-50 volcanoes are erupting at any given time globally, with around 1,350 potentially active volcanoes worldwide. While many eruptions are small, major events can devastate entire regions—affecting children's access to shelter, clean water, food, and schooling for months or years afterward.
How Do Volcanic Eruptions Affect Children?
When a volcano erupts, children and families can be at immediate risk.
In 2024 alone, volcanic activity affected communities across Iceland, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with Mount Ruang's eruption in Indonesia forcing over 11,000 people—including thousands of children—to evacuate.
These events demonstrate how volcanic disasters continue to threaten children's safety, health, and education worldwide.
The immediate dangers—pyroclastic flows, ash fall, and toxic gases—pose serious threats to children's developing lungs and bodies. But the aftermath often proves equally challenging for young people.
Students and teachers pose for a photo in front of their new temporary learning spaces following the Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption in Indonesia.
Livi*, a 11-year-old girl from East Flores, who had to flee her home in the night when the Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano erupted. Luckily Livi and her family were not harmed, but they lost their home and Livi’s school.
Long-term Impacts on Education and Mental Health
Beyond the immediate crisis, volcanic eruptions disrupt children's education and psychological wellbeing. Schools may close for weeks or months due to ash damage or use as evacuation centres.
Research shows that children who experience volcanic disasters often struggle with anxiety, sleep disturbances, and trauma symptoms for years afterward—particularly when families lose homes or livelihoods.
How Save the Children respond
When Disaster Strikes: Our Emergency Response
In general, when responding to a volcano Save the Children will:
- Distribute urgent items such as blankets, clothes, shelter supplies and hygiene and household kits, as often thousands of families lose everything they own – including their homes
- Provide emergency shelter for suddenly-homeless families
- Set up child- and adolescent-friendly spaces for displaced youth
- Rehabilitate schools so children can continue their education
- Provide clean water and reconstruct latrines.
Building Resilience Before Disaster Hits
In volcanic regions across Indonesia and the Philippines, we work with communities year-round to prepare children and families. This includes disaster risk reduction training in schools, establishing early warning systems, and creating evacuation plans that prioritise children's safety. When eruptions occur, prepared communities can act quickly to protect their most vulnerable members.
WHAT WE'VE DONE
A powerful eruption of Guatemala's Fuego volcano in June 2018 buried villages in ash and lava.The volcano reportedly blasted a river of red, hot lava and ejected thick clouds of smoke nearly six miles into the air. A second, unprecedented eruption a few days later sparked fresh panic among affected communities, endangering even more lives and halting rescue efforts.
Over 1.7 million people are estimated to have been affected and sadly over 100 people lost their lives. Towns were wiped off the map, buried in ash and lava.
Our response team distributed household kits, that contains essential items like; blankets, tarpaulin, rope, a jerry can and soap. We also set up and managed Child Friendly Spaces to help protect children caught up in the emergency.
Your Questions About Volcanic Eruptions and Children
How do volcanic eruptions differ from other natural disasters for children?
Volcanic eruptions often provide some warning time through seismic activity, allowing for evacuations—but the prolonged impact sets them apart. Ash fall can contaminate water and food supplies for weeks, volcanic gases pose ongoing respiratory risks, and displaced families may be unable to return home for months or years. Children face extended periods away from school, friends, and familiar routines, compounding the psychological impact.
Which children are most at risk during volcanic eruptions?
Children with respiratory conditions like asthma face heightened danger from volcanic ash and gases. Those living in poverty often reside in higher-risk areas with fewer resources for evacuation. Very young children and infants are particularly vulnerable to dehydration, respiratory problems, and the stress of displacement. Children separated from caregivers during evacuations face additional protection risks.
Can volcanic eruptions be predicted?
Scientists monitor volcanic activity through seismographs, gas measurements, and ground deformation, often providing advance warning before major eruptions. However, predicting the exact timing and scale remains challenging. This is why Save the Children emphasises preparedness in volcanic regions—ensuring communities have evacuation plans, emergency supplies, and knowledge to act quickly when warnings are issued.
How long does recovery take after a volcanic eruption?
Recovery timelines vary dramatically. Some communities return home within weeks if ash fall was minimal. Major eruptions requiring long-term evacuation—like those that destroy homes or contaminate agricultural land—mean children may be displaced for years. Psychological recovery often takes even longer, particularly for children who witnessed traumatic events or lost family members. Save the Children's support extends throughout this journey, from immediate relief through long-term rebuilding.
Last updated: November 2025
