Phreatic eruptions are steam-driven explosions that occur when water beneath the ground or on the surface is heated by
magma,
lava, hot rocks, or new volcanic deposits (for example,
tephra and pyroclastic-flow deposits). The intense heat of such material (as high as 1,170 ° C for
basaltic lava) may cause water to boil and flash to steam, thereby generating an explosion of steam, water,
ash, blocks, and bombs.