The Restless Earth: Volcanic Eruption - Case Study

Question 1

What is the case study for a volcanic eruption?

Answer 1

Montserrat.

Question 2

Where is MONSERRAT?

Answer 2

Small island, in the Caribbean sea.

Question 3

DATE of the eruption?

Answer 3

June 25th 1997.

Question 4

When did small eruptions start occurring?

Answer 4

July 1995.

Question 5

SIZE of the eruption?

Answer 5

Large.

Question 6

How much ROCK and GAS was released?

Answer 6

4-5 million m3.

Question 7

DEATH TOLL?

Answer 7

19 killed.

Question 8

What was the CAUSE of the eruption?

Answer 8

Montserrat is above a destructive plate boundary.
Magma rose up through weak points under the Soufriere hill.
Forming underground pool of magma.
Rock above the pool collapsed.
Opening a vent causing the eruption.

Question 9

What 2 plates met?

Answer 9

Atlantic plate.

Caribbean plate.

Question 10

Which PLATE was forced under another plate?

Answer 10

Atlantic plate forced under Caribbean plate.

Question 11

Name 5 primary effects of the volcanic eruption?

Answer 11

Areas covered in volcanic material.
Homes destroyed by pyroclastic flows.
School, hospital and airport destroyed.
Vegetation/farmland destroyed.

Question 12

What area was buried in mud and ash?

Answer 12

Capital city- Plymouth.

Buried under 12m.

Question 13

How many homes and villages were destroyed by pyroclastic flows?

Answer 13

20 villages.

Two thirds of homes.

Question 14

What are PYROCLASTIC FLOWS?

Answer 14

Fast-moving clouds of super-heated gas and ash.

Question 15

Name 5 secondary effects?

Answer 15

Fires destroyed buildings.
Tourists stayed away.
Population decline.
Improved soil fertility.
Tourism increasing.

Question 16

What buildings where destroyed by fires?

Answer 16

Local government offices.
Police headquarters.
Town’s central petrol station.

Question 17

What happened due to tourists staying away?

Answer 17

Businesses were destroyed.

Disrupted the economy.

Question 18

How much has the population declined?

Answer 18

8000 of the 12,000 inhabitants have left since the eruption in 1995.

Question 19

What caused the improvement of soil fertility?

Answer 19

Volcanic ash.

Question 20

Why is tourism on the island increasing?

Answer 20

People want to come and see the volcano.

Question 21

Name 5 immediate responses?

Answer 21

People evacuated.
Shelters built.
Temporary infrastructure.
UK provided £17M
Local emergency services.

Question 22

People were evacuated from…

Answer 22

South to safe areas in the north.

Question 23

What type of temporary infrastructure was built?

Answer 23

Roads.

Electricity supplies.

Question 24

Why did the UK provide £17M for Montserrat?

Answer 24

Montserrat is an overseas territory of the UK.

Question 25

What did the local services provide?

Answer 25

Support units to search for and rescue survivors.

Question 26

Name 4 long term responses?

Answer 26

Risk map created.
Exclusion zone.
Uk provided £41M.
Montserrat Volcano Observatory.

Question 27

What part of the island is off-limits?

Answer 27

South, while the volcano is still active.

Question 28

Why did the UK provide £41M?

Answer 28

Develop the north of the island.

New docks, airport, houses.

Question 29

How many people died?

Answer 29

19

Question 30

How many people were injured?

Answer 30

17.

Question 31

Where is Monserrat above?

Answer 31

Destructive plate boundary.

Question 32

Magma rose up through weak points under where?

Answer 32

Soufriere hill.