RECENT VOLCANIC EVENT Flashcards
(21 cards)
Where was it
Montserrat - small island in carribean 1995
3 causes of impacts from Montserrat eruption
- island on destructive plate boundary
- convection currents
- ash cloud rose to 10km
- dome collapsed
- strong winds blew ash cloud over island
What is happening at the destructive plate boundary the island is on
North American plate (denser) subducted under carribean plate
What was the volcano called that erupted
What was the lava like that it produced
Chances Peak Volcano
Produced thick sticky lava build at top of volcano in a dome
How does ash affect people(social impact)
Lung problems and death
What happened to many farms
Destroyed and left without food
Island no longer self-sufficient
What buried houses in debris
Where did many have to move to
Pyroclastic flow
People moved to shelters / other emergency accommodation - poor sanitation, over crowding
What transport area got destroyed
Airport
What was built to ship people off the island who wanted to leave
Emergency jetty
How many people did fires from pyroclastic flow kill
19
What 2 villages were completely buried in ash flow deposits
Farm
Trant
What conditions were there due to the sun being obstructed by an ash cloud
Blackouts
Economic impacts
- shortage of skills on island as people left
- no vegetation left due to pyroclastic flows - loss of income
- collapse of tourist + rice processing industries
- unemployment rise 7% -> 50%
What killed much vegetation as it was heavy and blocked sunlight (environmental impact)
Ash
What died
What’s the only type left
Wildlife that ate plants
Humming bird left
What was formed from sulphur given off from eruptions that damages and kills plants
Acid rain
What did acid rain also effect due to high pH levels
Marine environments
What predicted the eruption
The Montserrat volcano observatory set up in 1995
3 short term responses
- exclusion zones defined in south of island with restricted visits
- NGOs e.g Red Cross, set up temporary schools + provided medical support and food
- warning systems set up to alert inhabitants - signals, speaker systems, via media
- £17 million in uk aid paid for temporary buildings + water purification systems
3 long-term responses
- 3 year redevelopment programme for houses, schools, medical services, infrastructure + agriculture funded by Uk
- people granted full residency rights in UK, so could migrate there
- vegetation slowly re-growing
- tourism rebuilding with volcano as an attraction. New airport, hotel + dive shop build
Since 1995 what has the uk financial aid exceeded
£420 million
