By most calculations, the eruption of Tambora was at least a full order of magnitude (10 times) larger than that of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. (Graft et al. 1993) An estimated of the top of the mountain collapsed to form a caldera, reducing the height of the summit by a third. Around of rock was blasted into the air.(Williams 2012). Toxic gases also were pumped into the atmosphere, including sulfur that caused lung infections. (Cole-Dai et al. 2009) Volcanic ash was over deep within of the eruption, while areas within a radius saw a ash fall, and ash could be found as far away as . The ash burned and smothered crops, creating an immediate shortage of food in Indonesia. (Cole-Dai et al. 2009) The ejection of these gases, especially hydrogen chloride, caused the precipitation to be extremely acidic, killing much of the crops that survived or were rebudding during the spring. The food shortages were compounded by the Napoleonic wars, floods, and cholera. Its energy release was equivalent to about 33 gigatons of TNT.