Mt. Pinatubo is located in the boundary of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga where indigenous people, the Aetas, are living in its dense forest before the eruption in 1991. The mountain is considered as dormant and known to be as geothermal site before the eruption. The word Pinatubo is came from “Tagalog” and “ Zambal” word which means “made to grow” which may suggest a knowledge of its previous eruption in about 1500 AD.
The volcanic eruption in 1991 is the largest terrestrial eruption in 20th century after the eruption of Mt. Kaimai in Alaska in 1912. It released 10 to 100 km3 of materials, 6 to 16 km3 of ash and 20 million tons of SO2 . The aerosol formed a layer of sulphuric acid haze that makes global temperature dropped by 0.5ºC. The Mt. Pinatubo eruption resulted in severe damage in nearby area in Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga due pyroclastic flows and ash deposits. And later during the rainy season, a devastating lahar flows along the rivers that destroy many properties in nearby communities.
After the eruption in 1991 a large caldera is formed and filled with rains and now become a good tourist attraction because of its beautiful geographic formations going and inside the lake. An estimated of 4 to 5 hours travel from local tourism office in Bgy. Sta. Juliana in Capaz, Tarlac is needed and you will see the beauty of lake not thinking anymore the damage it brought in the past. Along the mountain hiking, several small streams, river, rocky roads, bumpy and dusty terrain are encountered before you reach the crater. On the lake, you can swim, make boating and picnic - a truly adventure experienced for each tourist who visit Mt. Pinatubo.
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| Aerial View from Google Earth |
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| Aerial View from Google Earth |
 Image via Wikipedia |
| Mt. Pinatubo before eruption in 1991 |
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| boating in Mt. Pinatubo lake |
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| cliff going down the lake |
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| rock and deposit formations |
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| beautiful entrance in Mt. Pnatubo Lake |
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| Sulphur Stream |
