Montserrat Case Study
ERUPTION IN MONTSERRAT
Bonnie Brooks
Montserrat’s infamous volcano, Chances Peak, has been erupting continuously since the 18th July 1995, the first eruption in 350 years. The eruption was proved by scientists to be the equivalent volume of 100,000 cars every day and in the first four months of this eruption the island suffered many jets of steam and small explosions. Consequently, the earthquakes were large enough to shake the ground after three years of earthquakes. Two years after the first eruption on the 25th June 1997, 19 people lost their lives.
Montserrat is one of eleven islands with an active volcano in the Caribbean, the island is 100 squared km in area, and 16km from North to South in width. Montserrat is a small island in the Caribbean. There is a volcanic area located in the south of the island on Soufriere Hills called Chances Peak. Before 1995 it had been dormant for over 300 years. In 1995 the volcano began to give off warning signs of an eruption, which were reported as many small earthquakes and eruptions of dust and ash. Once Chances Peak had woken up it then remained active for five years. In 1996, the lava dome grew 3x faster than before, causing pyroclastic flows from the large collapses flew into Plymouth on the 3rd August destroying the central parts of the town. The most intense eruptions occurred in 1997. Although in 1996 on the 17th September, many houses were destroyed and many caught on fire, and most importantly a major part of the lava dome collapsed. And on the 25th June 1997, 19 people lost their lives, despite the evacuations, as they travelled back towards the volcanic area. These eruptions affected the economy greatly, as most businesses, such as farming, was situated in Plymouth. Momentarily, the people of Montserrat are rebuilding. Scientists proved by 2001 over 400,000,000km cubed of magma had erupted from Chances Peak since the first eruption. Also, since the volcano awoke, the only proven safeguarded area on the
Bonnie Brooks
Montserrat’s infamous volcano, Chances Peak, has been erupting continuously since the 18th July 1995, the first eruption in 350 years. The eruption was proved by scientists to be the equivalent volume of 100,000 cars every day and in the first four months of this eruption the island suffered many jets of steam and small explosions. Consequently, the earthquakes were large enough to shake the ground after three years of earthquakes. Two years after the first eruption on the 25th June 1997, 19 people lost their lives.
Montserrat is one of eleven islands with an active volcano in the Caribbean, the island is 100 squared km in area, and 16km from North to South in width. Montserrat is a small island in the Caribbean. There is a volcanic area located in the south of the island on Soufriere Hills called Chances Peak. Before 1995 it had been dormant for over 300 years. In 1995 the volcano began to give off warning signs of an eruption, which were reported as many small earthquakes and eruptions of dust and ash. Once Chances Peak had woken up it then remained active for five years. In 1996, the lava dome grew 3x faster than before, causing pyroclastic flows from the large collapses flew into Plymouth on the 3rd August destroying the central parts of the town. The most intense eruptions occurred in 1997. Although in 1996 on the 17th September, many houses were destroyed and many caught on fire, and most importantly a major part of the lava dome collapsed. And on the 25th June 1997, 19 people lost their lives, despite the evacuations, as they travelled back towards the volcanic area. These eruptions affected the economy greatly, as most businesses, such as farming, was situated in Plymouth. Momentarily, the people of Montserrat are rebuilding. Scientists proved by 2001 over 400,000,000km cubed of magma had erupted from Chances Peak since the first eruption. Also, since the volcano awoke, the only proven safeguarded area on the