Vesuvius isn't the only volcano threatening a large number of people. As world population grows, more people are living in dangerous areas, including locations near active volcanoes. The Decade Volcano Project, an initiative of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI), has named 16 of these volcanoes as particularly worthy of investigation based on their potential for destruction in the event of severe volcanic activity.

As part of the United Nations' International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the project aims to increase study of these particular volcanoes: What makes them tick, what is their historical time line for activity, how can we better predict future activity, and, most important, what can local and national officials do to prepare for an eruption?

It may seem strange to think of "defending" a town against a volcanic eruption, but the IAVCEI already boasts a scattering of successes. For example, during the 1992 eruption at Mount Etna in Sicily, a lava flow was bearing down on the town of Zafferana. Researchers and local authorities blocked the flow in a tube that was feeding lava from higher up the slope. Flying in helicopters to keep a safe distance, they dropped large blocks of concrete into the tube's opening, successfully plugging it and diverting the lava away from the town.

Efforts of the Decade Volcano Project continue to add to our growing understanding of how volcanoes and disastrous eruptions work, but there is still a lot of work necessary before any nation can consider itself ready for a large-scale eruption.

The 16 Decade Volcanoes are:
1. Avachinsky-Koryaksky, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
2. Colima Volcano, Mexico
3. Mount Etna, Italy
4. Galeras Volcano, Colombia
5. Mauna Loa, Hawaii
6. Merapi Volcano, Indonesia
7. Niragongo Volcano, Democratic Republic of the Congo
8. Mount Rainier, Washington
9. Sakurajima Volcano, Japan
10. Santa MarÌa/Santiaguito Volcano, Guatemala
11. SantorÌni Volcano, Greece
12. Taal Volcano, Philippines
13. Teide Volcano, Canary Islands, Spain
14. Ulawun Volcano, Papua New Guinea
15. Unzen Volcano, Japan
16. Vesuvius Volcano, Italy

—Gabrielle E. Montanez