Montserrat

Question 1

When?

Answer 1

• 25th June 1997

Question 2

Where?

Answer 2

• Chances peak erupted in the Soufriere Hills, Montserrat

Question 3

Causes

Answer 3

• South American plate (oceanic) subducts beneath the Caribbean plate (oceanic) = subduction zone
• Montserrat formed at this plate boundary
• Was dormant for 350 years + erupted in 1995

Question 4

Impacts

Answer 4

• Pyroclastic flow covered areas of land in the South
• 5 million cubic metres of hot rocks + gases were ejected + dome of chance collapsed
• South of Montserrat + capital Plymouth covered in lava
• Volcanic landslides + lahars later occurred… worsening devastation.

Question 5

Effects

Answer 5

• 19 died
• 8000 people left Montserrat = affected population structure
• 20 villages + 213 homes destroyed
• Long term health affects = quartz in volcanic ash causes a lung disease = Silicosis
• Young people left and didn’t return
• Plymouth abandoned, half island is inhabitable
• Farming = ruined
• Economic growth @ Little bay + since 2010 tourism increase
• Volcanic ash = improved soil fertility and farming

Question 6

Responses - Long term

Answer 6

Long-term

• 3 year redevelopment programme for homes, school which was funded by UK
• In 1998 people of Montserrat were granted full residency right to UK
• By 2015 pop = 5250, which is half of 1995 = people did move back.
• Rebuilding tourism with volcano as the attraction. A new airport, hotel and dive shop built as the island carves a niche in adventure tourism.
• The monsterrat volcano observatory set up in 1995 + succesfullly predicted eruption

Question 7

Responses - short term

Answer 7

• Exclusion zones were defined
• NGOs (Red Cross) - set up temporary schools and provided medical support and food.
• £17 million in the UK, aid paid for temporary buildings and water purification systems
• Warning systems set up to warn
• Troops from UK and USA came to aid evacuation process.