Pyroclastic flows erupted by Mount Pinatubo on June 15,
1991, buried the Marella River valley (SW of Pinatubo) with pumice,
ash, and other volcanic rocks to depths of between 50 and 200 m.
This eruption was one of the largest in the 20th century, depositing
about 5.5 km3 of rock debris over nearly 400 km2.
The pyroclastic flows traveled as far as 12 to 16 km from the volcano
in all directions. Unlike river valleys, the steep slopes around
the volcano were veneered with very thin, discontinuous pyroclastic-flow
deposits. |