Archeaologists believe the people of Pompeii thought Vesuvius was just another mountain, and had no knowledge of it's volcanic activity. The people had no warning of what disaster was about to come.. Around noon of August 24, 79 A.D. with a huge boom a tall eruption column rose from above Vesuvius and Pompeii was bombarded with poisonous gas and fumes. Hot ashes, stones, and cinders rained down. The thickness of the debree increased up to six to eight inches per hour. Pumice stones up to three inches in diameter rocketed toward Pompeii at maximum speeds of 100 miles an hour, and very likely caused injuries and collapsed roofs. But we think the residents took hiding in their homes, hoping the shower of debree would soon end.

"A black and dreadful cloud now and again yawned open to reveal long fantastic flames," Pliny the Younger, one of the only eye witness survivors, described the explosion.

After seven hours of explosive activity, the eruption suddenly grew in strength, and the ash column grew higher in altitude. Debree fell for five more hours, and by the morning of August 25, about 1.5 yards of ash and pumice covered the Pompeii area. Then, the already disaster situation took a turn for the worse. Avalanches of deadly pyroclastic flows raced down the slopes, destroying everything in their paths. In a matter of minutes, the Roman town of Pompeii was totally destroyed.

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