World Wonders

"Paricutin, Mexico

In February 1943, a pile of ash began to rise from a corn field near the town of Paricutin, Mexico. A mountain began to emerge from the earth, reaching a height of 1,200 feet in one year. Although the ensuing nine-year eruption resulted in the destruction of the town of Paricutin, it presented the modern world with a remarkable opportunity to see the birth of a volcano. Only three people died, all by lightning associated with the eruption."