Soufriere Hills - Volcanic Eruption

The Soufriere Hills Volcano in Monserrat Erupted in 1997 The erruption was Large- 4-5 million metres cubed

Cause: Monserrat is above a destructive plate margin - atlantic plate forced under the caribbean plate, magma rose up through the weak points under the soufriere hills forming an underground pool of magma, a rock above the pool colapsed, opening a vent and causing the eruption.

Primary impacts:Capital plymouth burried under 12m of mud and ash. over 20 villages and 2/3 of homes on the island destroyed by pyroclastic flows ( fast moving clouds of super heated mud and ash) 19 died 7 indured. schools, hospitals, airport, port, vegitation and farmland destroyed.

Secondary impacts:Fires, torists put off, population decline8000 of the 12000 inhabitants left, volcanic ash from eruption has improved soil fertility

Immediate responses:people were evacuated from south to safe areas in the north,shelters built for evacuees, tempory infrustructure also built eg roads and electristy suplies. uk provided £17 million of emergency aid.

Long term response: The monserrat volcano obsevertary set up to try to predict further eruptions. the uk has given £41 million to develop north of island - new docks, airports,houses