Volcanoes are one of Earth’s most dangerous natural phenomena yet we still seem to need actual warning signs to complement nature’s obvious warning signs.
Underground Real Road
From the destruction wrought by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD to the (still ongoing at press time) spectacular lava fountains and flows of the Cumbre Vieja eruption on the island of La Palma, volcanoes have shown us time and time again that when Mother Nature gazes upon the works of Man… well, we don’t have to tell you who’s gonna win that stare-down. Don’t say She – or We – didn’t warn you.
The much-photographed warning sign above wasn’t conceived as a volcano warning sign per se, though its redundancy quotient has, shall we say, deepened. You can find what’s left of the sign at the end of Chain of Craters Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Well worth a visit, though driving there is no longer an option. (images at top and above via Eli Duke and daveynin)
Extreme D
“Beyond this point,” you say? Judging by the fearsome power inherent in that burn scar, this sign’s entirely too conservative. Also, we recommend the Hawaiian state authorities replace this sign before it goes beyond the point of no re-burn. (image via Adam)
Don’t Be Rome’in
Ol’ Mount Vesuvius has managed to keep out of the headlines since infamously wiping out ancient Pompei and a number of other nearby Roman cities in a truly historic eruption. That doesn’t mean the mountain’s no longer dangerous, however, as this warning sign on the lip of the volcano’s crater quite graphically states.
Zooming in reveals the bilingual advisory to humans who don’t seem to have learned much about volcanoes since Caesar’s salad days. “Take a selfie at Vesuvius,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said. “You’ll end up looking like one of those lava casts of doomed ancient Pompeians,” the sign warned. So it is written, so it shall be done. (image via Ruben Holthuijsen)
Somethin’ Too Toxic About
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Sicily, “Do not go near to the smoke holes.” Words to live by, literally! That said, we worry about youths oblivious to their mortality (aka, ALL youths) who fixate on the word “intoxication” while ignoring the “extreme danger of” part. After all, no more sage advisor than Wikipedia has defined Intoxication to be “especially by an alcoholic or narcotic substance.” Dude… that’s no bong. (image via Henry Burrows)
Know Of Fence?
Mount Tangkuban Perahu in West Java, Indonesia has erupted no less than 17 times in the past 200 years – most recently in the summer of 2019. Still, the volcano is a popular tourist attraction where visitors can buy eggs cooked in boiling hot water springs. As one might expect, safety precautions and warning signs abound, including the one above advising readers to not cross the fence… er, what fence? DOH! Make that DOOOooohhhhhh… *splat* (image via Frank Douwes)
You’ve seen the signs, wanna see the lava? Check out Viva Lava: Hawaii’s Volcanoes Let It Flow!
