Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat
Ongoing Volcanic Eruptions Since July 1995
Montserrat is an island in the West Indies and is located in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, which form part of the Lesser Antilles chain of islands. This arc of volcanic islands is situated at the junction of the Caribbean and the Atlantic tectonic plates.
The subduction of the Atlantic plate under the Caribbean plate caused flows of lava, which created stratovolcanoes. These volcanoes sometimes become active after being dormant for hundreds of years. The Global Volcanism Program has identified 16 volcanoes in the West Indies.
One of the most famous volcano eruptions occurred in 1902 when Mount Pelee exploded on the island of Martinique in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles chain.
Geological Features of Montserrat
Montserrat is a small island, only measuring ten miles long and seven miles wide. There are three volcanic centers that were formed at different times. The oldest center is the Silver Hills in the north, followed by the Centre Hills in the middle of the island and the South Soufriere Hills in the southern part of the island.
The current volcanic activity is in the Soufriere Hills where lava domes build and then collapse. When this happens, there are explosive eruptions, venting of ash, lahar deposits (mud flows) and pyroclastic flows. In between eruptions, there is constant venting through fumaroles. This activity has been ongoing since 1995.
Eruptions of the Soufriere Hills Volcano
On July 18, 1995, Soufriere Hills awakened with a volcanic eruption after being dormant for three centuries. Plymouth, which was the capital city and the major port in Montserrat, was shrouded in ash.
The ash fall continued and in 1996, the city was evacuated and the southern end of the island was closed to the public. The airport and the docks were no longer operational.
Over half of the population of Montserrat fled the island due to financial hardship and lack of housing. In addition to the reduction of residents, the tourism industry halted due to lack of accommodation and transportation facilities.
On January 16, 1997, a large pyroclastic flow traveled down Tar Valley and landed in the sea. To date, this has been the largest flow from the Soufriere Hills Volcano.
Eruptions of ash continued until another major pyroclastic flow occurred on July 12, 1997. The flow invaded some of the villages in the restricted area and in the inhabited areas. More than 24 people lost their lives and eight villages were burned out.
During the pyroclastic flows in 1997, the city of Plymouth endured further destruction and still remains a restricted area.
As the Soufriere Hills Volcano gets larger due to the increasing deposits of volcanic material, additional areas in the southern part of Montserrat continue to be closed down.
A new airport was opened in Montserrat in 2005 with the intent of revitalizing the tourist industry. New docks were built at Little Bay, which is the location of the new capital city.
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Related Blog on Volcanoes:
Volcanic Destruction Not Always Caused by Lava
Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat
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