Plymouth buildings in danger
Publication: Daily Nation
Date: Tue, Aug 5, 1997
Page: 2
Category: Current Affairs
Byline: Terry Ally
A SECTION of the Montserratian capital, Plymouth, has been destroyed by the latest eruption of the Langs Soufriere Volcano.
The hour-long eruption, which started at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, was the second largest since the deadly one on June 25.
The Customs headquarters, a supermarket and clothing store were among more than 20 buildings damaged or destroyed as a superheated pyroclastic surge flowed towards the sea port.
In addition, a blast early yesterday morning rained pebbles on the volcano observatory and other buildings in the central zone, still considered to be safe.
Deputy Chief Scientist Dr. Jill Norton told the Daily Nation that Sunday's eruption spewed two to three million cubic metres of superheated gases and ash down Fort Ghaut (valley) into the capital.
"About 20 to 30 buildings were damaged and several homes were destroyed," she said.
"If we get further flows of similar magnitude more buildings and more of Plymouth will be destroyed É many of the houses will go sooner or later," she said.
A journalist from Radio Montserrat said that after the hour-long flow, the capital could be seen glowing red hot as flames ate up many buildings.
Following a helicopter survey of the capital, Norton said the flow reached the sea, for the first time.
But it was the surge, over the side of the valley, which destroyed the buildings and homes as it travelled towards the sea port.
This means that the four-kilometre long ghaut, which ranges in depth from ten to about 30 metres, has been almost filled and virtually levelled by the pyroclastic material.
The next flow will be travelling on virtually flat ground and expected to pan out left and right consuming more buildings.
Surges also hit the village of St. George's Hill, which had been evacuated some weeks ago and some houses there were razed or damaged.
The island has now been divided into three zones: the exclusion zone which includes the entire southern half of the island, including Plymouth; the central and northern zones, both of which are classified as "safe".
Norton said the volcano had established a cyclic pattern of eruption every 12 to 14 hours and she projected more pyroclastic flows headed towards Plymouth in the days ahead, but she could not predict how large they would be.