Pompeii had an encountered with nature when Mount Vesuvius erupted, over whelmed it with ashes and buried it. The smoke went 12 miles high and 1300 degrees. An estimated number of about 20,000 people died during that tragic event. It was said that some people knew it was coming because the water sources were dry. The humans died quickly because they were getting suffocated and buried in ash. The ash didn't even start to clear up until three days later.