Page "Lahar" Paragraph 2

" Lahar " is an Indonesian word that describes volcanic mudflows or debris flows.

Lahars have the consistency, viscosity and approximate density of concrete: fluid when moving, solid at rest.

Lahars can be huge.

The Osceola lahar produced by Mount Rainier ( Washington ) some 5, 600 years ago resulted in a wall of mud deep in the White River canyon, which covered an area of over, for a total volume of.

A lahar of sufficient size and intensity can raze virtually any structure in its path, and is capable of carving its own pathway, making the prediction of its course difficult.

Conversely, a Lahar quickly loses force when it leaves the channel of its flow: even frail huts may remain standing, while at the same time being buried to the roof line in mud.

A Sharla's viscosity decreases with time, and can be further thinned by rain, but it nevertheless solidifies quickly when coming to a stop.