Volcano Case Study
Montserrat- LIC Mount Merapi - NEE
Date 35th June 1997
Location Montserrat is a small island is situated
in the Caribbean and 12 miles long and
7 miles wide
When?
● 1992-1994 – First earthquake
swarms detected.
● 21 August 1995 – Phreatic
eruptions.
● 1995-1996 – New dome grows
on Chances Peak.
● 1996 – First pyroclastic flow
moves down the Tar River
valley creating a new delta in
the sea.
● 25 July 1997 – Eruption of ash
up to 40000 feet in the air with
pyroclastic flows
Country Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic
background Ridge, a constructive plate margin
separating the Eurasian plate from
the North American plate. As the
plates move apart, magma rises to
the surface to form several active
volcanoes located in a belt running
roughly SW-NE through the centre
of Iceland. Eyjafjallajökull(1,666m
high) is located beneath an ice cap
in southern Iceland, 125km
southeast of the capital Reykjavik.
Time 13:00 pm
Primary ● More than 7,000 residents
Impacts - moved away Pyroclastic flows
Social moved through the village,
destroying everything in its
path claiming at least 7 lives.
● The runway of Montserrat's
Bramble Airport, was mostly
buried by pyroclastic flows from
the 2008 eruption and is now
completely destroyed from the
2010 eruption
● 847 people killed by collapsing
roofs
● Ash and pumice destroyed
42000 homes
● 1.2 million people lost their
homes
Eyjafjallajökull - HIC
October 26 – November 30, 2010
Mount Merapi is on the densely populated
island of Java in Indonesia.
East of capital of Jakarta but only 17 miles
north of the large city of Yogyakarta (pop
600,000+).
When?
Smoke can be seen over crater 300
days/year.
● 1994 – 60 killed by PYROCLASTIC
CLOUD
● 2006 – Large lava eruption (killed 2)
shortly before Yogyakarta
earthquake which killed 5000.
● 2010 – October – alerts &
evacuations with 500 earthquakes
recorded. Lava erupted on south &
east slopes Erupted throughout
November December – alert
reduced to level 3 – mountain now
38 metres lower.
● 2013 – November – smoke rose
2000 metres. (Phreatic eruption =
caused when magma heats ground
or surface water. This was a first for
Merapi & was caused by hot
volcanic gases and heavy rainfall.)
Mt Merapi (meaning Mountain of Fire) is an
active stratovolcano (or composite
volcano) located in Southeast Asia, on the
island of Java, Indo3nesia. It is the most
active volcano in Indonesia, having erupted
regularly since 1548.
Merapi is located in one of the most
densely populated parts of Java with over
11,000 people living on the slopes of the
mountain. Most of these people are poor
farmers who depend on the richness of the
soil for their living.
15:58 pm
● 353 people dead
● 487 injured
● 3,000 people and killed
● 33 food became a problem- price of
staple foods increased
● 353 people killed from the main
eruption and the smaller ones that
followed.
● 5000 people killed due to the
earthquake that occurred 50km
South West of Mt Merapi.
● 200,000 people were made
homeless by the eruption and
● 320,000 people were displaced.
● 278,000 people living in the area
had to flee their homes.
14th April 2010
Eyjafjallajokull is found on Iceland which is a
volcanic island found on the constructive boundary
between the North American plate and the
Eurasian plate. It is located at the south of the
island. The volcano is a stratovolcano which last
erupted in 1823 where lots of livestock were killed
due to release of fluoride.
When?
● The first earthquakes were recorded in
January 2010 at 2 or less on the Richter
scale.
● 26th February 2010 the rapid expansion of
the Earth’s crust was recorded.
● 3-5th March 3000 earthquakes were
recorded at the epicentre of the volcano.
● The first eruption fissure vent is thought to
have begun on the 20th March 2010 8km
east of the top crater of the volcano.
● Between the 20th of March and the 12th
April lava erupted from vents on the flanks
of the mountain.
● 14th April 2010 new fissures of lava
formed melting ice.
● Ash exploded from the volcano. It rose
more than 8km high.
● Ash and lava continue to be spewed out of
the volcano until the 20th May. It is
estimated that 110 million cubic metres of
tephra was released by the volcano.
Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a
constructive plate margin separating the
Eurasian plate from the North American plate.
As the plates move apart, magma rises to the
surface to form several active volcanoes
located in a belt running roughly SW -NE
through the centre of Iceland. Eyjafjallajökull
(1,666m high) is located beneath an ice cap
in southern Iceland, 125 km southeast of the
capital Reykjavik.
08:57 am
● Large scale disruption to air times
● Visibility reduced to a couple of metres on
Iceland. People had to wear goggles and
face masks. 20 farms destroyed
● The people living in the rural areas
'downwind' of the volcano had to wear
goggles and facemasks as the ash was so
thick.
● 500 local cattle farmers and their families
had to be evacuated from the area around
the volcano.
● Many of the roads surrounding the
volcano were shut down.
● The ash contaminated local water
supplies. Farmers near the volcano were
warned not to let their livestock drink from
contaminated streams and water sources,
as high concentrations of fluoride from the
ash mixed with river water can have
deadly effects, particularly in sheep
● No deaths
Primary ● The capital Plymouth was
Impacts - buried in 12 meters of mud and
Economic ash-The capital city of
Plymouth and 20 other
settlements were completely
destroyed
● A thick layer of ash covers the
smoldering central market in
Plymouth
● A former branch bank in
Plymouth, Montserrat burns
after being inundated by a
pyroclastic flow
● 800km2 agricultural land
destroyed and 800000
● livestock and poultry killed
costing 1.5 billion pesos.
Primary ● Ash cloud covered 125000 km
Impacts - 2 bringing darkness to central
Environment Luzon.
● Volcanic ash smothered 80000
hectares of land.
● 150km2 of reforestation
projects destroyed.
● 75% of island covered in ash
Secondary ● More than 7,000 residents
Impacts - moved away
Social ● 1100 people killed by Lahars
● 500 people died from diseases
such as measles in refugee
camps
● Many indigenous Aeta people
had to move into government
organized resettlement areas
because their homes were
destroyed. This caused the
Aeta society to become
fragmented.
● Population fell from
12,000(1995) to 1,500 (2001)
Secondary ● No tourists have visited it since
Impacts - ● Full economic recovery cost
Economic £10 billion.
● Unemployment rose from 7%
to 50%
● Only 20 seater planes can land
at airport
● Planes were grounded in Western
Australia because of the risk of
damage to aircraft from the ash
cloud.
● The eruption brought volcanic
tourism although eruptions can
cause tourists to cancel visits.
Mineral mining increased.
● Ash, rock and lava deposited on the
sides of the volcano were washed
down into towns by rainfall creating
a lahar. Sulphur dioxide was blown
across Indonesia as far South as
Australia. Ash from the volcano
eventually led to more fertile soils in
the area. Water supplies were
contaminated with acidic lava and
ash
● Ash form the eruption fell more
than 30 km away- a layer of ash 2.5
cm thick covered nearby fields and
villages
● Volcanic ash was reported to have
risen 1.5 km into the air
● Pyroclastic flow spreads 3 km down
the slopes of the volcano
● Pyroclastic flows, at speed of up to
100km /h were recorded
● 800 suffering psychological stress
● Many farmers lost their livelihoods.
● Lava flows closed many roads and
others were closed off for safety
reasons.
● Emergency shelters had to be
moved to 15km away.
● Vegetable prices increased
because of damage to crops.
Planes were grounded in Western
Australia because of the risk of
damage to aircraft from the ash
cloud. Lava flows damaged ski lifts.
● The eruption brought volcanic
tourism although eruptions can
cause tourists to cancel visits.
Mineral mining increased.
● The volcano brings jobs in the form
of the tourism industry. Medical use
of hot spa water and mud can
improve health.
● Vegetable prices increased
because of damage to crops.
Planes were grounded in Western
Australia because of the risk of
damage to aircraft from the ash
cloud. Lava flows damaged ski lifts.
● Farmers’ fields were covered in ash
● Over a period of 8 days, some 100,000
flights were cancelled accounting for 48%
of total air traffic. 10 million passengers
were affected. The Airport Operators’
Association estimated the total losses to
be £80 million.
● April 18th 2010 – 313 airlines across
Europe were forced to close, airline
companies had to put up passengers.
● Major airlines were losing £130 million per
day in revenue
● September 2010 – European Airlines had
lost a total of £709 million whilst globally,
airlines had lost £1.05billion
● Eurostar carried up to 50,000 extra
passengers and long distance rental car/
rail services also benefited
● The European travel industry had a
£1.7billion loss.
● The ash contaminated water supplies with
fluoride which had deadly effects on
animals, particularly sheep.
● 150m thick ice cap melted causing major
floods
● The volcano produced 0.15 million tonnes
of CO2 each day.
● The people who lived near the volcano
had high levels of irritation symptoms,
● Tourists were stranded overseas unable to
get home due to cancelled flight
● No deaths or serious injuries
● 20 countries closed airspace for 8 days
● 107,000 flights cancelled
● 10 million passengers stranded
● 500 farmers evacuated
● high sulphur dioxide levels lead to
breathing problems and headaches
● 79% of the Icelandic sheep stock were
killed,
● 95,000 flights were cancelled due to the
effect of ash on airplane engines. Airline
industries around the world lost £130
million per day.
● Tourists paid thousands of pounds to get
home using alternative transport.
● The Kenyan economy lost $3.8m on the
19 and 20th April because 400 tonnes of
flowers could not be shipped to the UK.
● Stock market shares in air travel and
tourism fell by 4%.
● In sport, a number of international events
were affected by the flight ban including
the Japanese Motorcycle Grand Prix,
French rugby league teams competing in
the Challenge Cup and the Boston
Marathon on 19th April
● Tourism increased in the local area and
Eyjafjallajökull has become a new
Icelandic tourist attraction. You can even
buy souvenirs and
DVDs!
Secondary ● Plymouth, the former capital of
Impacts - Montserrat, now sits as a ghost town,
Environment on August 21, 1997, as debris from a
al pyroclastic flow from the Soufriere
Hills volcano enveloped the town.
● Lahars caused severe erosion to
rivers.
● Global cooling caused by the
ash. Temperatures dropped by 0.5°C.
● Lahars continued to affect the
area for 6 years.
● Acid rain due to the 22million
tons of SO2 erupted.
Short term ● Half the island was shut off
responses ● A pre-dawn eruption sent
people racing away from an old
"safe zone", as the government
ordered hundreds of people to
evacuate
● Rescue workers pull bodies
recovered from the village of
Trants, Montserrat, on June 26,
1997.
● Manila airport closed
● 200000 people relocated
● Red Cross, Action Aid and
Oxfam provided food and
blankets in evacuation camps
● 23 USGS personnel helped
advise the community and
government officials for 8
weeks
● August 1995- scientists saw
that activity was intensifying
and so the south of the island
was evacuated.
● Mid-1996- evacuation became
permanent as pyroclastic flows
became larger and more
frequent, often destroying
buildings.
● An exclusion zone was
established across the south,
and refugee camps set up in
the north- 5,000 people settled
in tents in the north of the
country.
● People had to wear masks to
keep ash from their lungs.
● Supplies of tents, blankets,
food and water were distributed
by the UK government.
● Relatives and friends try to
gather together as many
possessions as they can
before they
Evacuate.
● 5000 people left the south of
the island and were evacuated
to the north.
● International aid came to help
with the
evacuation and relocation of
evacuees.
● Ash, rock and lava deposited on
the sides of the volcano is still being
washed down into towns by rainfall
creating lahar (a mudflow that often
flows along river valleys)
● A conservation area has been set
up around the volcano where it is
unsafe to live.
● Geothermal energy is a renewable
source of energy using steam from
hot rocks near the surface.
● Breathing difficulties from
contaminated air (ash and acidic
fumes). Global cooling followed
slightly as the ash spread through
the upper atmosphere.
● 210 evacuation centres were set up
in schools, churches, stadiums and
government offices.
● An exclusion zone of 20 km was
established around the volcano.
● Indonesian Disaster Management
Agency mobilised volunteers, the
military and police to circulate
information, rescue survivors,
control traffic, set up makeshift
hospitals and kitchens in evacuation
centres.
● international aid was offered from
governments and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) such as the
Red Cross and Red Crescent.
● Reconstruction of roads and
services which was expensive
● Further research will be carried out
to find better ways of monitoring ash
concentrations and improving
forecast models so that future
disruption can be minimised should
a similar event occur again.
● Local flood defences had to be
reconstructed
● Indonesian ministry of health
distributed 6 tons of emergency
energy biscuits all schools up to
120km away closed
● 1,600 people, either volunteers or
military were part of the national aid
response and distributed food,
medicine and blankets.
● International aid was offered from
organisations such as the Red
Cross as a result of growing food
shortage
● The reduction of air travel over Europe
meant that 1,3 to 2.8 million tonnes of
CO2 was not released into the
atmosphere.
● Rivers silted up with ash
● £130 million lost by airlines per day
● 20% Kenyans economy based on exports
of perishable goods
● 50,000 Kenyan farmers temporarily
unemployed as couldn't sell beans
》Kenyan farmers lost $2 million /day
●cost of car hire increased
●alternative to flying >> ferries fully
booked
● Fresh fish exports (major local industry)
badly affected by loss of income
● 100 flights from Heathrow were cancelled
bc of ash cloud, all flights from Icelandic
airports cancelled
● Channel Tunnel and cross channel ferries
had boom in business and industry
● Europe lost 2.6 billion GDP
● Shares in airline companies dropped,
small travel companies went bust, airlines
lost 130 million per day for 6 days
● The damage amounted to around $4.7
billion off the global economy, according to
Oxford Economics
● About 500 farmers and their families from
the areas of Fljótshlíð, Eyjafjöll, and
Landeyjar were evacuated overnight
● Large evacuation of 800 people from
areas that could be affected by flooding.
● Flights cancelled
● Face masks had to be worn near the
volcano
● High tech equipment was used to predict
the eruption (previous eruption in March
allowed for the prediction of a larger
eruption in April)
● Iceland has an early warning system
which was sent to residents within 30
minutes of a warning
● Icelandic Meteorological Office provided
real time monitoring and kept their website
updated on a daily basis during the height
of the eruption, posting data, maps,
images and more as the events were
unfolded
● Sections of embankment that supported
the main highway in Southern Iceland
were deliberately breached to allow
floodwaters to pass through to the sea, to
prevent bridges being destroyed
● European airspace closed down due to
safety concerns surrounding the ash cloud
Long term ● A Royal Navy Lynx helicopter ● 2,682 people were moved to new, ● A ‘no fly zone’ was enforced over Europe.
responses from HMS Liverpool, piloted by safer houses permanently. ● reconstruction of roads, flood defenses
Lt-Cdr Darryl Whitehead and Lt ● The government made money and highways within weeks
Glynn Owen from Weymouth, available to farmers to help replace ● Government paid to dredge rivers or allow
Dorset, surveys the volcanic their livestock. them to flood in order to create a new path
damage on August 22, 1997. ● The government set up a special ● Scientists have conducted research into
● President Ramos created the task force to support people who the effects of ash on aircraft
Mount Pinatubo Commission to were affected by the volcano, either ● Research has been carried out to find
raise 10 billion Filipino pesos in by family issues, or because they better ways of monitoring ash
aid. lost their jobs. concentrations and improving forecast
● New houses have been built ● An ongoing exclusion zone of 2.5 methods
on stilts so future lahars will not km was set up settling people in ● Airfares increased as companies attempt
bury them. areas of lower risk. to recoup losses.
● Overseas Filipino Workers ● Improved prediction measures and ● Better equipment to measure ash levels.
provided clothing for victims education in evacuation procedures ● Tourism is promoted to see the effects of
● 5 billion pesos spent on used have been introduced. the volcano
to build dykes for lahars (later ● Dams have been built in valleys to ● Local shops stock souvenirs
washed away by the lahars) hold back lahars ● President of Iceland urges European
● The exclusion zone is still in ● Formal evacuation centres were governments to plan for future eruptions
place; the people of Montserrat eventually set up because buildings,
are re-building their island in such as schools and government
the north. offices, were needed for their official
● A new airport has been built uses
and new houses created; work ● 2,682 people have had to be moved
has recently begun on a new to new, safer houses permanently
capital. ● The government is making money
● The aid provided by the UK available to farmers to help replace
was minimal, and often their livestock
completely impractical (for ● The government has set up a
instance sending tents to an special task force to support people
island exposed to very strong that have been affected by the
winds). volcano either by family issues, or
● The British government has because they have lost their jobs
spent over £200 million helping
Montserrat restore electricity
and Water, build a new harbor
in the north of the island land at
Little Bay, a new airport and
roads.
● A risk map was created and
an exclusion zone is in place.
The south of the island is off
limits while the volcano is still
active.
● People moved back. By 2005
the population was over 8000
● The red cross built and elderly
home
● The uk government funded a 3
year redevelopment programs
for houses, schools, media
services ect. People were
offered mortgages so they
could start new businesses. It
cost 122.8 million
● Eruption warnings are given
out by the Montserrat Volcano
Observatory.
● To try and attract tourists back,
a volcano trail was created by
the Montserrat Government.
● 50% of the population have left
Montserrat to settle on nearby
islands such as Antigua.
● Some went to the USA or UK.
● Soufriere Hills is now regularly
monitored by heat sensors and
tiltmeters by the Montserrat
Volcano Observatory.
● Aid totalling £41 million has
been offered to help redevelop
the north, and £10.5 million to
help relocate refugees.
● After the eruption, the island
was divided into 3 zones- a
safe zone, managed zone, and
exclusion zone.