Montserrat volcano Case Study

Question 1

How many people died and how many were injured?

Answer 1

19 killed

7 injured

Question 2

What size was the eruption?

Answer 2

LARGE ( 4-5 million metres cubed of rocks and gas released)

Question 3

What were the causes of the eruption?

Answer 3

1- above a destructive plate margin ( Atlantic under Caribbean)

2- Magma rose up through weak points in the hills forming an underground pool of Magma

3- The rock above the pool collapsed opening a vent and causing an explosion

Question 4

What were the primary impacts?

Answer 4

1- Large areas covered with the volcanic material (Capital city Plymouth was buried under 12m of Rock and ash)

2- 20 villages and 2/3 homes destroyed by pyroclastic flow

3- schools, hospitals, port and airport destroyed

4- vegetation and farmland destroyed

Question 5

What were the secondary impacts?

Answer 5

1- Fires destroyed many buildings, including government offices, the police HQ and the main petrol station

2- tourists stayed away and businesses were destroyed - economy disrupted

3- population decline 8000/12000 inhabitants have left since 1995

Question 6

What were the immediate responses?

Answer 6

1- people evacuated from the south

2- Shelters built to house evacuees

3- temporary infrastructure built ( roads electricity)

4- Uk gave £17 million in emergency aid

5- local emergency services provided search and rescue teams

Question 7

What were the long term responses?

Answer 7

1- a risk map was created and the south of the island is still off limits

2- UK provided £41 million to develop the north ( new docks, airport, houses)

3- Montserrat volcano observatory has been set up to predict future eruptions

Question 8

What were the positive impacts?

Answer 8

1- volcano ash improved fertility

2- Tourism is now increasing as people come to see the volcano

Question 9

When did the Soufrière Hills volcanic eruption happen?

Answer 9

June 25th 1997 ( but eruptions started in July 1995)