Mount Asama erupts in Japan, killing about 1,400 people (Tenmei eruption). The eruption causes a famine, which results in an additional 20,000 deaths.

The Tenmei eruption was a large eruption of Mount Asama that occurred in 1783. This eruption was one of the causes of the Tenmei famine. It is estimated that about 1,500–1,624 people were killed in the eruption. The event is known in Japanese as The Burning of Asama in Tenmei .

Tenmei Eruption 1783 Mount Asama Drawing 1
Tenmei Eruption 1783 Mount Asama Drawing 1 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
天明浅間山大噴火 火砕流・溶岩流・泥流等の分布
天明浅間山大噴火 火砕流・溶岩流・泥流等の分布 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Bijzonderheden over Japan - Aardbeving
Bijzonderheden over Japan - Aardbeving (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
天明三年浅間やけ遺跡
天明三年浅間やけ遺跡 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Watch: Inside Pompeii: The Untold Story Before the Deadly Eruption - Full Documentary

From the Easy Documentary History channel.

Sources and further reading: Wikipedia — Tenmei eruption, Mount Asama, Famine (CC BY-SA). Images: Wikimedia Commons.