Soufriere Hills Volcano-John Cole
The Soufrière Hills volcano(French “Sulphur” Hills) is located in Montserrat. After a long period of dormancy, the volcano became active in 1995, and has continued to erupt ever since. Its eruptions have rendered more than half of Montserrat uninhabitable, destroying the capital city, Plymouth, and causing widespread evacuations.
To date, approximately two thirds of the population left the island. Seismic activity had occurred in 1897–1898, 1933–1937, and again in 1966–1967, but the eruption that began on July 18, 1995 was the first since the 17th century.With a thick ash cloud, there was almost a total of 15 minutes full darkness. Shortly after the first evacuation of southern Montserrat was initiated. Plymouth itself was finally abandoned the following year.
A large eruption on June 25, 1997 resulted in devastating results and the island’s airport, W H Bramble Airport, was directly in the path of the main pyroclastic flow and was completely destroyed. With this, the Montserrat’s tourist industry took a very hard hit.
However, it is now regenerating. An Exclusion Zone encompassing the Soufrière Hills Volcano has been put in place and life has refocused to the north. The volcano represents one of the island’s most unique attractions and both visitors and residents can learn about its geological origins and history as well as view the volcano from safe locations around the island.
Whilst the volcanic Exclusion Zone covers the entire south-eastern half of the island, as well as extending four kilometres off-shore along the eastern coast to what is known as the Maritime Exclusion Zone, there are various vantage points from where it is possible to view the volcano and the destruction it has wrought on the island.
The volcano is andesitic in nature and the current pattern of activity includes periods of dome growth, punctuated by brief episodes of dome collapse which result in pyroclastic flows, ash venting, and explosive eruption. Streaks of red from the pyroclastic flows became visible on December 24, 2006. Also on January 8, 2007, an evacuation order was issued for areas in the Lower Belham Valley, impacting some 100 people.
Most devastating eruption was at Soufriere Hills Volcano starting at 11:27 pm local time on Monday 28 July 2008 without any precursory activity. Several large explosions were registered, with the largest at approximately 11:38 pm. The height of the ash column was estimated at 12 kilometres (40,000 feet) above sea level.
The volcano has become one of the most closely monitored volcanoes in the world since its eruption began, with the Montserrat Volcano Observatory taking detailed measurements and reporting on its activity to the government and population of Montserrat. The observatory is operated by the British Geological Survey under contract to the Government of Montserrat.
