The volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 was one of the most deadly in history. It set off a series of terryifying tsunamis, destroying entire towns and islands and devastating the coastlines of Sumatra and Java. Now, in an ancient cycle of death and rebirth, the offspring of this legendary volcano is growing at the spot where its parent was destroyed. For decades, all that marked the site of the original 2,640-foot-high island was a tiny islet that survived the explosion. But in 1930 a new volcano broke through the water at the centre of the old, where, over 70 years on, a build up of pulsating magma is now pushing upward at an astounding pace. The latest scientific and historical research combines in this powerful docu-drama to reveal what really happened in the build up to, during, and in the aftermath of the disaster, and suggests what could happen if the child of Krakatoa lived up to its mother's explosive reputation.
In 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted without warning. Within a day the island had virtually disappeared in the loudest explosion ever recorded. The eruption generated a succession of massive tsunamis that wiped out the Indonesian coastline and killed over 30,000 people. These waves were three times higher than those seen on Boxing Day in 2004. And over 30 miles from the volcano, across open ocean, thousands more were killed by hot ash. For over a century geologists have been unable to explain how so many people died. But today, through field studies, experiments and analysis of historical records, they think they have finally found the answers. And these answers are hugely important because the volcano is back. Since 1927, the volcano Anak Krakatoa, the child of Krakatoa, has been growing. It is now over half the size of the original volcano. And geologists are certain that it will erupt again. The only questions that remain are how and when.