✅HAZARDS Case Study - Volcanoes, Montserrat

Question 1

Where is Montserrat

Answer 1

A mountainous island in the Caribbean

Question 2

What plate boundary is Montserrat at?

Answer 2

Destructive
North American plate and Caribbean plate

Question 3

Volcano type and VEI

Answer 3

Composite due to plate boundary type
Cone
VEI 3-4 reasonably intense, due to its andesitic magma being viscous

Question 4

Montserrat background

Answer 4

Small
Mountainous, plenty of woodland
population of 5,100 (was 11,000 before eruption)

Question 5

Date, timeline

Answer 5

Warning signs in 1995, small eruptions and earthquakes
June 1997, pyroclastic flow buried the community at ‘Spanish Point’
Sept 1997, 74 eruptions
One of the eruptions released 4-5 million m^3 in 20 minutes

Question 6

Features of Eruption

Answer 6

Pyroclastic flow and lahars

Question 7

Economic impacts

Answer 7

Most buildings in the capital, Plymouth, destroyed
£1 billion in losses
Airport destroyed by pyroclastic flow
Exclusion zone set up, fishing boats not allowed near, affected industry

Question 8

Social impacts

Answer 8

19 people killed by pyroclastic flow
2/3 of homes destroyed
by 1998, 70% of the population left
Universities destroyed

Question 9

Environmental impacts

Answer 9

Vegetation and farmland destroyed
60% of the island was declared unsafe for human habitation
Ash improved soil fertility

Question 10

How was Montserrat preparing for eruptions

Answer 10

Montserrat is a former British colony. The UK government didn’t even know it was a volcano. No emergency plans even after 1995 warning signs

Question 11

Relief and rehabilitation

Answer 11

Evacuations to the underdeveloped North
£17 million in aid from UK

Question 12

Reconstruction

Answer 12

Funded by UK, £41m donated
Montserrat Volcano Observatory set up to monitor the volcano and predict future eruptions
Much reconstruction prevented due to expectations that a massive eruption will occur that will wipe out the island
1000s new homes built