I have relatives living in Montserrat. Can you tell me if there are other volcanoes similar to the one at Chance's Peak -- and if that volcano were to erupt how widespread you believe the damage would be.

rocky Denise C. Morgan

Dear Denise,

Silver Hill and Central Hills, the volcanoes that make the north part of the island, are extinct. These volcanoes were active from about 4.3 to 1.6 million years ago. So it is very unlikely these volcanoes will erupt again. The south part of the island is made of Soufiere Hills and South Soufiere Hills and two parasitic cones, St. George's Hill and Garibaldi Hill. Castle and Chance's Peak are volcanic domes on the top of Soufriere Hill, a stratovolcano. Geologists had recognized prior to the current eruption that Soufiere Hill posed the greatest hazard. It will continue to pose the greatest hazard even after the current volcanic crisis is over. It is very difficult to estimate how widespread the damage might be from a major eruption. There is a hazard map for southern Montserrat. I suggest your relatives contact the local civil defense authorities to see the map.

Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota Source of Information:
Baker, P.E., Volcanic hazards on St. Kitts and Montserrat, West Indies, Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 142, p. 279-295.

Wadge, G. and Issacs, M.C., 1988, Mapping the volcanic hazards from Soufiere Hills volcano, Montserrat, West Indies using an image processor: Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 145, p. 541-551. 

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