Reawakening of Volcanoes in the Caribbean

Volcanoes that have been asleep for decades are slowly restarting activity in the Caribbean, prompting officials in Martinique and Saint Vincent (the two most active sites of volcanic activity as of late) to monitor the recent activity.

A warning was issued on Tuesday, 30th December, 2020 for the La Soufriere Volcano in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: a chain of islands which is home to more than 100, 000 people. Citizens have reported "tremors and strong gas emissions, the formation of a new volcanic dome, and changes to its crater lake."

Soufriere Hills in Montserra, credit: The Guardian

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency said that scientists reported an “effusive eruption within the crater, with visible gas and steam”. The governments of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, along with the governments of other neighboring islands, are heeding the public to steer clear of the volcano, and to be ready for evacuation, if need be. La Soufriere, located near the northern tip of the main island of St. Vincent, has not erupted since 1979. Prior to that, an eruption in 1902 killed some 1,600 people.

Mount Pelee, in the French department of Martinique, is also active again. In early December of 2020, officials in the French Caribbean territory issued a yellow alert due to recording seismic activity under the mountain. It was the first alert of its kind issued since the volcano last erupted in 1932, taking the lives of some 3000 citizens

While the eastern Caribbean is an archipelago of active and extinct volcanoes, volcanologist Erik Klemetti, at Denison University in Ohio, said the activity at Mt Pelee and La Soufriere are not related. He explained, “It’s not like one volcano starts erupting that others will,” he said. “It falls into the category of coincidence."

According to Klemetti, the most active volcano in recent years in the eastern Caribbean has been Soufriere Hills in Montserrat, which has erupted continuously since 1995, destroying the capital of Plymouth and killing at least 19 people in 1997.

Seventeen of the eastern Caribbean’s 19 live volcanoes can be found on 11 islands, with the remaining two sitting underwater near the island of Grenada. One of those is called Kick ‘Em Jenny, and has been active in recent years.

credit: Atlas Obscura

In a virtual press conference on the 5th of January, the prime minister of Saint Lucia, Allen Chastanet, announced his support for St. Vincent's PM, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. He extended a charitable hand on behalf of the island, and several hotel rooms have now been reserved specifically for the purpose of housing Vincentians. Contingency plans to provide medical assistance have also been put into place. The prime minister has said he remains in contact with the relevant officials, whilst monitoring the issue.