10th Anniversary of Soufrière Hills Volcano Eruption
Montserrat, West Indies – It’s been ten years since the first cloud of smoke and ash was emitted from the crater of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, which led to the destruction of the southern part of Montserrat and the evacuation of almost three quarters of its population.
Since then, this resilient community has been able to pick up the pieces and re-build, while at the same time memorializing an event that changed the land, people and way of life for this Caribbean Isle.
From July 18 – 24, 2005, the residents of Montserrat will remember the eruptions with various events themed Remembrance, Resilience, and Reconciliation.
“As we celebrate ten years of volcanic activity we are celebrating our resilience and confronting the issues that affect the people of Montserrat and the people who have come to assist us in our rebuilding. The week of activities are aimed towards thanksgiving, remembering, reconciling and celebrating the determination of our people who want to tell the world that Montserrat is still viable, safe to visit and offers unparalleled beauty,” stated The Honorable Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism, Dr. John Osborne.
On July 18, 1995 strong smells of sulphur and light ash fall signaled the awakening of the Soufrière Hills Volcano and then in August 1997, it spewed pyroclastic flows of mud and ash over the southern region of the island, subsequently destroying the airport, scores of homes and businesses. Today, a flurry of reconstructive activity is taking place in Montserrat that includes the completion of the new airport at Gerald’s (that will welcome daily service from the carrier WinAir on July 11th, 2005), new housing developments, new banks and supermarkets, roads and a cultural center. Government buildings have been relocated to Brades, near Little Bay and a new capital city is in the planning stages.
Throughout the week there will be a pictorial display at the public library and special events will include day tours to St. George’s Hill to view the volcano, a festival of thanksgiving and celebration, interpretive performances commemorating “the crisis” in the form of dance, poetry, drama and stories, and the release of the special volcano themed stamps by the Montserrat Philatelic Bureau. Coinciding with the celebrations is the “Soufrière Hills Ten Years On” Scientific Conference beginning Sunday, July 24, an international scientific meeting of minds that will focus on the Soufrière Hills volcanic activity as well as provide a forum for scientific debate on a wide range of volcanic phenomena throughout the world.
With the new developments, diverse cultural heritage and unique activities, Montserrat continues to exude the natural beauty, tranquility and exclusivity that once drew such celebrities as Elton John, Paul McCartney and Jimmy Buffet to the island. The northern part of the island, once the dryer, more barren land is now a bloom with flowers, alive with butterflies, green with homegrown produce and increasingly busy with commerce. The island’s reefs are undisturbed and unexplored caves have been discovered under the island for divers. The private villas, once the secret hideaways of the rich and famous, are hanging up their hammocks for business, as family-owned hotels, charming guesthouses and bed & breakfasts readily welcome visitors with warm Caribbean hospitality.
Montserrat, a lush green and mountainous island of approximately 39 square miles, lies in the Eastern Caribbean chain of islands. Known fondly as the “Emerald Isle” of the Caribbean, this pear-shaped island is a traveler’s paradise for nature lovers, divers, adventurers, family and villa vacationers, and honeymooners. This British overseas territory boasts the spectacular Soufrière Hills Volcano, a modern day Pompeii in the form of its buried former capital city Plymouth, alongside lush, green mountains, world-class nature trails, deserted dark sand beaches, untouched reefs and a quiet friendly charm reminiscent of the way the Caribbean used to be. For more information on Montserrat and its breathtaking scenery and unspoiled, unpolluted coral and volcanic vistas, visit www.visitmontserrat.com.
