In AD 79 Vesuvius erupted with immense force, throwing gas and rock into the air at a rate of one and a half million tons every second.This inundated the entire Roman city of Pompeii.
Although many fled, some Pompeiians stayed behind, to sit out the eruption. They paid the ultimate price. Some were killed by falling ash and rock. But the majority perished in a far more macrabe way - because Vesuvius exploded in a so-called Plinian eruption.
How Did Vesuvius Kill in Pompeii?
NOVA: The Next Pompeii?
1 x 60 min, Lion for PBS