Montserrat is a mountainous island that is part of the Lesser Antilles chain and a British Overseas Territory. The region was known for its high standard of living famed for its tourism and bustling economy.
That was until a volcanic eruption rocked the island in the 1990s, taking this A-list hotspot and turning it into the ‘Pompeii of the Caribbean’ in a matter of minutes.
The volcanic eruption caused destruction to this once thriving island, burying it two-thirds under a layer of lava and ash.
The eruption occurred in the southern side of the island causing its 11,000 population to evacuate to the UK and other destinations.
Prior to this, Montserrat was deemed uninhabitable because of the island’s complex stratovolcano known as Soufrière Hills.
The Soufrière Hills contain many lava domes forming its summit and after a long period of dormancy, the Soufrière Hills volcano became active, causing immense destruction in its wake.
Ash falls and pyroclastic flows were sent spewing from every direction, with a second explosion covering the region in a thick layer of ash turning day into night.
Plymouth, the capital city, saw the most destruction and currently lies under a mountain of dust and ash.
Sadly, most of Plymouth became desolate after widespread evacuations turned the once magical place completely abandoned.
After the widespread volcano had ravaged most of Plymouth, people attempted to return to their homes.
However, the volcano was not done just yet with another massive eruption hitting it again in 1997 tragically, killing 19 people and destroying the island’s airport.
The region has now been called something out of an apocalyptic novel with much of the south side of the island falling into ‘exclusion zones’ deemed far too dangerous to explore on foot.
Attempts to repair the island remained futile until 2015, when planning began on a port at Little Bay and on a new town, costing in the region of £28 million.
Ground was finally able to be broken in June 2022 and attempts to rebuild the island’s new city began to take shape.
Intrepid travelers can now experience the Caribbean island as it once was with a visit to Plymouth being allowed but of course with a note of caution.
