Robin Andrews says that so you have survived the explosive blast, the lava bombs, the pyroclastic flows and the lava that has oozed dramatically down the slopes of the volcano. Unfortunately, the volcano may not be done with you just yet. If those lava flows came to a rest on a slope, and you are in an environment that tends to get a lot of rain, you may be in trouble, volcanic mudslides are a hazard too, and they are often the deadliest part of the eruption cycle.
Lahars, which comes from the Japanese word for flowing lava, are much like normal mudslides. They are a thick, concrete-like slurry of sediment mobilized by water, but that is where the similarities end. Monitoring volcanoes is important, but educating authorities on their threats are also key. This applies to wealthy nations too. Take Mount Rainier, a dormant volcano in Washington State. This particular mountain is due for a big eruption sometime soon, and volcanologists are worried, not necessarily because of the pyroclastic flows it will produce, mind you, but because the valleys below it are perfect for lahar formation, and Seattle is right in its path.
So you have survived the explosive blast, the lava bombs, the pyroclastic flows and the lava that has gone down the slopes of the volcano. The ash has settled, the mountain has gone quiet, and the repairs have begun. You have survived! After a few rains, the atmosphere too will have cleared.
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