Montserrat 1995-7

• Capital city 


  Plymouth
• Pyroclastic flow


  Destructive cloud of very hot ash, lava fragments and gases flowing downslope at great speed.
• Volcano that frequently erupts on Montserrat

  Soufriere Hills
• Lahar


  Mudflow of ash and water.
• What plate is Montserrat on?

  Caribbean plate
• What year did Soufriere Hills begin erupting?

  1995
• What year had the worst pyroclastic flows?

  1997
• How many people were killed in the eruption?

  19
• Plate movement responsible for the volcano

  South American plate under Caribbean plate
• Name of the islands only airport that was destroyed

  W. H. Bramble
• Name of island arc Montserrat is on

  Lesser Antilles
• Primary impacts


  Pyroclastic flow, 2/3 of island covered in ash, roads became impassable, respiratory issues e.g. Marie's disease.
• Secondary impacts


  Tsunami and forest fires.
• Economic impacts


  W. H. Bramble airport destroyed, farmland destroyed, tourism suffered
• Social impacts


  Plymouth evacuated twice, 50% of the population were housed in overcrowded shelters, respiratory issues, schools and hospitals destroyed, population depleted from 11000 to 4000 due to migration.
• Environmental impacts


  Vegetation destroyed by acid rain, pollution of lakes and rivers threatened animal life.
• Short term responses


  Evacuations of south of island and abandonment of capital Plymouth.
• Long term responses


  Montserrat Volcano Observatory, risk map devised, £41 million donated by British government to rebuild and £24000 from individual families.