LEDC volcano case study

LEDC eruption Montserrat (1995-1997)

Background

Location- Montserrat, Caribbean

Date of eruption- 18^th July 1995-21^st September 1997

Volcano- Soufriere Hills, Chances Peak

Type of volcano- Composite

Plates- North American plate subducting beneath the Caribbean plate

Activity- throughout 1995 small earthquakes and pressure building

Financial- £2,800 average household income a year, GDP 55.3 million USD (1995)

Impacts

Hazards

• Earthquakes
• Lahars in late 1995
• Main eruption of 4-5million mᵌ over 20 minute period
• Pyroclastic flows reaching several km (400*C)
• Ash cloud covering 75% of the island
• Lahars worsened by heavy rain

Economic

• Loss of homes and investment cost £1billion
• 20 villages and two thirds of homes destroyed (100-150 homes so 70% increase in rent)
• Plymouth covered in 5m of material
• Airport covered by pyroclastic flow
• Tourist industry ruined physically and in reputation
• Unemployment >50%

Social

• 19 people died
• Hundreds left homeless
• Fires destroyed essential services and infrastructure damaged
• Population decline from 12,500 to 1,500 from 1995 to 2001

Environmental

• Vegetation and farmland destroyed
• Volcanic ash improved soil fertility

Responses

• 5,000 people evacuated to the safe zone to the north of the island from towns such as Salem and Plymouth.
• Links with the…