On April 10, 1816, the most powerful volcanic explosion in recorded history occurred. The volcano was Mount Tambora in the Sumbawa Islands of Indonesia. The explosion measured a 7 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. The explosion could be heard thousands of miles away. Smaller explosions and eruptions occurred before and after the initial giant explosion. More than 71,000 people were killed. Around 12,000 deaths were directly caused by the explosion. The other deaths were due to water contamination by volcanic ash and sulfur. Many have described it as a dry haze. Even the rain and snow couldn't make the mist disappear. So much sulfur and ash was released into the atmosphere that global temperatures fell by about 0.5 degrees Celsius. This drop in temperature led to the year 1816 being described as “the year without a summer”. The effects of cooling caused summer snowfall in North America and Europe. All vegetation on the island was destroyed. Famines occurred. Sir Stamford Raffles, a British statesman who founded Singapore, sent Lieutenant Philips to Sumbawa.....