Pinatubo

Pinatubo is a stratovolcano located in the central part of Luzon, Philippines, at the boundary between Zambales and Tarlac provinces about 90 kilometers northwest of Manila. The summit rises roughly 1,745 meters above sea level and forms a prominent volcanic massif in a landscape shaped by river valleys and timbered slopes.

Its most notable activity occurred in 1991, after a period of seismic unrest. A series of eruptions culminated in a climactic eruption in June 1991 that expelled an enormous ash plume, generated pyroclastic flows, and caused the summit to collapse, forming a large caldera. A crater within the caldera later filled with water to form a crater lake. The eruption released large quantities of ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to detectable global cooling for a year or two and disrupting weather, agriculture, and air travel across regions far beyond the Philippines.

The 1991 event also produced powerful lahars and pyroclastic flows that devastated nearby villages and farmland, leading to widespread evacuations and significant human and economic costs. The eruption prompted changes in disaster preparedness and volcanic monitoring in the country.

Today Pinatubo is actively monitored by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). While no longer erupting at the scale seen in 1991, the volcano remains capable of renewed activity. The surrounding area is part of protected zones and is a destination for ecotourism, including treks to the crater and exploring the surrounding forests, with access regulated to minimize hazards from future lahars.