The Loudest Sound in History
When Krakatoa erupted, people nearly 5,000 km away thought they were hearing distant gunfire.
What was reported
On the morning of 27 August 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa, between Java and Sumatra, tore itself apart in a series of huge explosions. On Rodrigues Island in the Indian Ocean, nearly 4,800 km away, the police chief reported a sound like the roar of heavy guns from the east.
Barometers around the world recorded the pressure wave as it circled the Earth several times. Sailors closer to the volcano described the noise as painfully loud.
Explanations offered
The explosion is thought to be the loudest sound in recorded history. The eruption and the tsunamis that followed killed more than 36,000 people. Ash high in the atmosphere turned sunsets a vivid red around the world for months afterwards.
- When
- 27 August 1883
- Where
- Krakatoa, Sunda Strait, Indonesia
- Witnesses
- People around the Indian Ocean, as far away as Rodrigues Island
- Status
- Confirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.