Final answer:
The city of St. Pierre was destroyed by a pyroclastic flow in 1902, which is a deadly mix of hot gas and volcanic matter that incinerates or crushes everything in its direct path.
Step-by-step explanation:
The port city of St. Pierre on the island of Martinique was destroyed by a pyroclastic flow in 1902.
A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter that moves away from a volcano at high speed. When the eruption occurs, these flows can destroy everything in their path due to their extreme heat and momentum. Historic incidents, such as the tragic event in St. Pierre, Martinique, and the well-known destruction of Herculaneum after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, demonstrate the devastating power of pyroclastic flows. Unlike lava flows, which are the oozing of molten rock, or lahars, which are volcanic mudflows, pyroclastic flows can obliterate structures, incinerate organic matter, and completely alter the landscape, sometimes even changing coastlines.
The example of Mt. St. Helens' eruption in 1980 also illustrates the destructive potential of volcanic events, though in this case led to a different aftermath where volcanic debris formed new soil, free from the previous ecosystem's remnants.