Volcano Case Study [U1]

Question 1

Which 2 places are involved in the case study?

Answer 1

Montserrat, United Kingdom, 1995-1997 and Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland, 2010

Question 2

What are some social/economic/political/geographical differences between Montserrat and Iceland?

Answer 2

Montserrat:
People were unaware of the volcanoes existence
People were living next to the volcano
People were left homeless
Majority of the island is in an exclusion zone

Iceland:
People are aware of volcanoes in Iceland
There weren’t many people near the volcano
Warning signs were recognised and communicated

Iceland is located on the mid Atlantic ridge which is prone to volcanoes
Montserrat is located near destructive plate margins at the Caribbean plate

Question 3

Why is it after many years still unsafe for people to live on majority of Montserrat and how does Iceland’s preparedness level differ.

Answer 3

Montserrat:
The volcano is unpredictable so for the safety of people the majority of the island is in an exclusion zone.
Lahars and other secondary hazards can still occur any time

Iceland:
As volcano eruptions are frequent, people were already aware of potential hazards and the government is effective at communicating and providing aid.