montserrat volcano case study a level

Montserrat Volcano: Case Study

Curriculum support • 30 mins • free.

The unexpected volcanic eruption on the beautiful Island of Montserrat has changed this Island forever!  In this class, students will learn you how to use a case study to show an understanding of the processes, effects, and responses to a specific eruption event.  This is a great class for students in Years 7 - 9 to learn the practical skills of how to apply a case study to a topic as well as providing a great example students can use in future assessments.

Try these classes next:  Hazards: Volcano Types ,  Hazards: Tropical Storm Formation ,  Hazards: Plate Boundaries ,  Hazards: Urbanisation

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This class is suitable for students in Years 7 - 9 or those interested in volcanoes. 

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To evaluate the causes and effects of the Montserrat eruption and suggest sustainable ways to rebuild the island

Starter : Read the intro of the wikipedia page on Montserrat and take five notes of the features you find most relevant about this island. 

Task 1 - Study the Google maps below and make three notes of the physical characteristics of the island of Montserrat. 

Task 2 - Study the BBC bitesize case study in the textbox below and, on your exercise book, answer the questions that follow it.  (Click to open) 

Case study: Chances Peak, Montserrat, 1995-97 - an LEDC

Plymouth covered in ash from volcanic eruptions on Montserrat

Montserrat is a small island in the Caribbean. There is a volcanic area located in the south of the island on Soufriere Hills called Chances Peak . Before 1995 it had been dormant for over 300 years. In 1995 the volcano began to give off warning signs of an eruption (small earthquakes and eruptions of dust and ash). Once Chances Peak had woken up it then remained active for five years. The most intense eruptions occurred in 1997.

During this time, Montserrat was devastated by pyroclastic flows . The small population of the island (11,000 people) was evacuated in 1995 to the north of Montserrat as well as to neighbouring islands and the UK.

Despite the evacuations, 19 people were killed by the eruptions as a small group of people chose to stay behind to watch over their crops.

Volcanic eruptions and lahars have destroyed large areas of Montserrat. The capital, Plymouth, has been covered in layers of ash and mud. Many homes and buildings have been destroyed, including the only hospital, the airport and many roads.

The graphic shows the progress of the eruption and its impact on the island.

Montserrat - eruption progress and impact

Short-term responses and results

• Evacuation.
• Abandonment of the capital city.
• The British government gave money for compensation and redevelopment.
• Unemployment rose due to the collapse of the tourist industry.

Long-term responses and results

• An exclusion zone was set up in the volcanic region.
• A volcanic observatory was built to monitor the volcano.
• New roads and a new airport were built.
• Services in the north of the island were expanded.
• The presence of the volcano resulted in a growth in tourism.

Volcanic activity has calmed down in recent years and people have begun to return to the island.

You might be asked to consider the values and attitudes or opinions of people involved in the eruption, such as refugees or aid workers for example.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/natural_hazards/volcanoes_rev6.shtml 

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zgh79qt/revision/6

Click here to view http://www.coolgeography.co.uk/A-level/AQA/Year%2013/Plate%20Tectonics/Extra_case_studies/Montserrat.htm As a precaution, Firefly only embeds content that has a certificate to prove it's sent over the web securely.

http://www.coolgeography.co.uk/A-level/AQA/Year%2013/Plate%20Tectonics/Extra_case_studies/Montserrat.htm

Questions :       a. Define i. pyroclastic flows, ii. evacuated, iii. lahar                                                 b. Describe the short-term and long-term responses and results.

Task 3 - Watch the video below and complement your notes with additional information. 

Task 4 - You have been asked to rebuild Montserrat following the volcanic eruption. You have been given £84,000 (£21,000 per year) to spend over 4 years but must make sure you spend it wisely and consider where to put your new facilities on your map. Your teacher will give you a copy of the document below: 

• montserrat restructuring priorities SEN.docx

• Revision notes >
• IGCSE Geography Revision Notes >
• Theme 2: Natural Environment

VOLCANO case study: Mt Soufriere, Montserrat 1997

Causes of eruption .

The island has been created because the Caribbean Plate and Atlantic Plate are moving towards each other and the dense oceanic plate is being subducted under the lighter continental plate.

At destructive boundaries oceanic crust is destroyed as it is forced below the less dense continental crust. The partially melted rock forces its way to an area of lower pressure ready to erupt.

Before 1995 Mount Soufriere had been dormant for over 300 years. 

In 1995 the volcano began to give off warning signs of an eruption (small earthquakes and eruptions of dust and ash)

In 1997, Large eruptions continued with the dome collapsing and large pyroclastic flows affecting much of the island

Primary and Secondary effects of the Eruption

Responses to the eruption, short-term responses.

• Evacuation of the southern part of the island
• Abandonment of the capital city.
• The British government gave £41 million in aid although riots occurred as locals complained that the British were not doing enough to help the island  money for compensation and redevelopment.
• Unemployment rose due to the collapse of the tourist industry.

Long-term responses

• Money was given to individuals to help them move to other countries. 
• An exclusion zone was set up in the volcanic region.
• New roads and a new airport were built.
• Services in the north of the island were expanded.
• The presence of the volcano resulted in a growth in tourism.
• The MVO (Montserrat Volcano Observatory) was set up to study the volcano and provide warnings for the future 
• A Risk assessment was done to help islanders understand which areas are at risk and reduce problems for the future.

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Montserrat Volcano 1995-1997 Case Study

Subject: Geography

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

26 November 2018

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GCSE Geography Hazards case studies bundle

6 resources that could all be used as case studies for various GCSE geography courses. Includes lessons on: \- Australia's 'Big Dry' Drought \- The 2009 Cockermouth Floods \- Kenya's 2009 Drought \- Montserrat 1995-97 Volcanic Eruption \- Pakistan Earthquake 2005 \- The potential threat of an Atlantic mega-tsunami

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Join get revising, already a member, case study- monserrat.

• Created by: 8cburton
• Created on: 11-05-15 14:24

Geological Background

Monserrat is in the northern part of the lesser Antilles volcanic island arc marking the destructive plate boundary margin resulting from the subduction of the North American plate below the Carribbean plate . 4 volcanic centres but 3 are dorminant (sources of magma removed) but soufriere hills are active.

Soufriere Hills

Composite volcanic cones made of andesite (acid) magma with some basalt (basic) intrusions. There are springs and fumaroles on the slopes and densely populated areas.

Earthquakes above background levels + small eruptions. By the end of the year magma had reached the surface and a laval dome bgan to grow.

In June 1997

Series of small earthquakes followed by pyroclastic flows (100kmh) partially buried the community of spanish point . By sept this community was completely covered.

In sept-oct 1997

74 magmatic explosive eruptions. Large metre sized rocks thrown 1.5km . Vertically ejected material runs out of kinetic energy and falls back 300m in an eruption called a fountain collapse .

Main eruption

4-5 million m3 of material released in a 20 min period. Pyroclastic flow detroyed plymouth. 100 million m3 of debris and ash have been remobilised by rains to swamp the town further in flash floods and lahars. (The 1998 hurricane season rains resulted in many lahars. Parts of the town were buried under 10 metres of debris). Ash deposites place considerable strains on buildings causing them to collapse. Ash contains fine silica materials which cause complications when breathed in. 30 cm of ash fell on plymouth blown by the prevailing wind. Pyroclastic surges are the most dangerous effects of volcanic activity. Buildings are knocked down…

• Plate tectonics

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Eyjafjallajokull Case Study

What is Eyjafjallajokull?

Eyjafjallajokull is a volcano located in Iceland. The name is a description of the volcano with Eyja meaning island; fjalla meaning mountain; and jokull meaning glacier. You can find out how to pronounce Eyjafjallajokull on the BBC website .

Eyjafjallajökull consists of a volcano completely covered by an ice cap. The ice cap covers an area of about 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi), feeding many outlet glaciers.

What type of volcano is Eyjafjallajokull?

The mountain itself, a composite (stratovolcano) volcano, stands 1,651 metres (5,417 ft) at its highest point and has a crater 3–4 kilometres (1.9–2.5 mi) in diameter, open to the north.

When did Eyjafjallajokull erupt?

Eyjafjallajokull erupted between March and May 2010.

Why did Eyjafjallajokull erupt?

Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a constructive plate margin separating the North American and Eurasian plates. The two plates move apart due to ridge push along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. As the plates move apart, magma fills the magma chamber below Eyjafjallajokull—several magma chambers combined to produce a significant volume of magma below the volcano. Eyjafjallajokull is located below a glacier.

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted in 920, 1612 and again from 1821 to 1823 when it caused a glacial lake outburst flood (or jökulhlaup). It erupted three times in 2010—on 20 March, April–May, and June. The March event forced a brief evacuation of around 500 local people. Still, the 14 April eruption was ten to twenty times more powerful and caused substantial disruption to air traffic across Europe. It caused the cancellation of thousands of flights across Europe and to Iceland.

How big was the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull?

The eruption was only three on the volcanic explosivity index (VEI). Around 15 eruptions on this scale usually happen each year in Iceland. However, in this case, a combination of a settled weather pattern with winds blowing towards Europe, very fine ash and a persistent eruption lasting 39 days magnified the impact of a relatively ordinary event. The eruptions in March were mainly lava eruptions. On 14 April, a new phase began, which was much more explosive. Violent eruptions belched huge quantities of ash into the atmosphere.

The eruption of Eyjafjallajokull

What were the impacts of the eruption? (social / economic / environmental – primary and secondary effects)

Primary effects : As a result of the eruption, day turned to night, with the ash blocking the sun. Rescuers wore face masks to prevent them from choking on ash clouds.

Homes and roads were damaged, services were disrupted, crops were destroyed by ash, and roads were washed away. The ash cloud brought European airspace to a standstill during the latter half of April 2010 and cost billions of euros in delays. During the eruption, a no-fly zone was imposed across much of Europe, meaning airlines lost around £130m per day. The price of shares in major airlines dropped between 2.5 and 3.3% during the eruption. However, it should be noted that imports and exports are being impacted across European countries on the trade front, so the net trade position was not affected markedly overall.

Secondary effects : Sporting events were cancelled or affected due to cancelled flights. Fresh food imports stopped, and industries were affected by a lack of imported raw materials. Local water supplies were contaminated with fluoride. Flooding was caused as the glacier melted.

International Effects: The impact was felt as far afield as Kenya, where farmers have laid off 5000 workers after flowers and vegetables were left rotting at airports. Kenya’s flower council says the country lost $1.3m a day in lost shipments to Europe. Kenya exports typically up to 500 tonnes of flowers daily – 97% of which is delivered to Europe. Horticulture earned Kenya 71 billion shillings (£594m) in 2009 and is the country’s top foreign exchange earner. You can read more about this on the Guardian website .

What opportunities did the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull bring?

Despite the problems caused by the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, the eruption brought several benefits. According to the Environmental Transport Association, the  grounding of European flights prevented some 2.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (according to the Environmental Transport Association).

As passengers looked for other ways to travel than flying, many different transport companies benefited. There was a considerable increase in passenger numbers on Eurostar. It saw a rise of nearly a third, with 50,000 extra passengers travelling on their trains.

Ash from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano deposited dissolved iron into the North Atlantic, triggering a plankton bloom, driving an increase in biological productivity.

Following the negative publicity of the eruption, the Icelandic government launched a campaign to promote tourism . Inspired by Iceland was established with the strategic intent of depicting the country’s beauty, the friendliness of its people and the fact that it was very much open for business. As a result, tourist numbers increased significantly following the campaign, as shown in the graph below.

Foreign visitor arrivals to Iceland

What was done to reduce the impact of the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull?

In the short term, the area around the volcano was evacuated.

European Red Cross Societies mobilised volunteers, staff and other resources to help people affected directly or indirectly by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano. The European Red Cross provided food for the farming population living in the vicinity of the glacier, as well as counselling and psychosocial support, in particular for traumatised children. Some 700 people were evacuated from the disaster zone three times in the past month. In one instance, people had to flee their homes in the middle of the night to escape from flash floods.

The European Union has developed an integrated structure for air traffic management. As a result, nine Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs) will replace the existing 27 areas. This means following a volcanic eruption in the future, areas of air space may be closed, reducing the risk of closing all European air space.

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Volcano case studies

Volcano case studies You should make sure you are familiar with 2 case studies: Either: Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo – Poor Country or Montserrat, Caribbean – Poor Country AND Either: Mount St. Helens, USA – Rich Country or Iceland – Rich Country

Key terms: Primary effects: the immediate effects of the eruption, caused directly by it Secondary effects: the after-effects that occur as an indirect effect of the eruption on a longer timescale Immediate responses: how people react as the disaster happens and in the immediate aftermath Long-term responses: later reactions that occur in the weeks, months and years after the event Nyiragongo Picture The video below contains more information on the primary and secondary effects of a volcano

On 17th January 2002 Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was disturbed by the movement of plates along the East African Rift Valley. This led to lava spilling southwards in three streams.

The primary effects – The speed of the lava reached 60kph which is especially fast. The lava flowed across the runway at Goma airport and through the town splitting it in half. The lava destroyed many homes as well as roads and water pipes, set off explosions in fuel stores and powerplants and killed 45 people

The secondary effects – Half a million people fled from Goma into neighbouring Rwanda to escape the lava. They spent the nights sleeping on the streets of Gisenyi. Here, there was no shelter, electricity or clean water as the area could not cope with the influx. Diseases such as cholera were a real risk. People were frightened of going back. However, looting was a problem in Goma and many residents returned within a week in hope of receiving aid.

Responses – In the aftermath of the eruption, water had to be supplied in tankers. Aid agencies, including Christian Aid and Oxfam, were involved in the distribution of food, medicine and blankets.

Montserrat – Poor country case study

Montserrat – Ledc Case Study from donotreply16 Mount St Helens – Rich country case study Picture Mount St. Helens is one of five volcanoes in the Cascade Range in Washington State, USA. The volcano erupted at 8:32am on 18th May 1980.

Effects – An earthquake caused the biggest landslide ever recorded and the sideways blast of pulverised rock, glacier ice and ash wiped out all living things up to 27km north of the volcano. Trees were uprooted and 57 people died.

Immediate responses – helicopters were mobilised to search and rescue those in the vicinity of the catastrophic blast. Rescuing survivors was a priority, followed by emergency treatment in nearby towns. Air conditioning systems were cleaned after by clogged with ash and blocked roads were cleared. Two million masks were ordered to protect peoples lungs.

Long-term responses – Buildings and bridges were rebuilt. Drains had to be cleared to prevent flooding. The forest which was damaged had to be replanted by the forest service. Roads were rebuilt to allow tourists to visit. Mount St. Helens is now a major tourist attraction with many visitor centres.

Iceland – Rich country case study Picture Location: 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. Eyjafjallajokull (1,666m high) is located beneath an ice cap in southern Iceland 125km south east of the capital Reykjavik

The Eruption: In March 2010, magma broke through the crust beneath Eyjafjallajokull glacier. This was the start of two months of dramatic and powerful eruptions that would have an impact on people across the globe. The eruptions in March were mostly lava eruptions. Whilst they were spectacular and fiery they represented very little threat to local communities, However, on 14th April a new phase began which was much more explosive. Over a period of several days in mid-April violent eruptions belched huge quantities of ash in the atmosphere.

Local impacts and responses: The heavier particles of ash (such as black gritty sand) fell to the ground close to the volcano, forcing hundreds of people to be evacuated (immediate response) from their farms and villages. As day turned to night, rescuers wore face masks to prevent them choking on the dense cloud of ash. These ash falls, which coated agricultural land with a thick layer of ash, were the main primary effects of the eruption. One of the most damaging secondary effects of the eruption was flooding. As the eruption occurred beneath a glacier, a huge amount of meltwater was produced. Vast torrents of water flowed out from under the ice. Sections of embankment that supported the main highway in Southern Iceland were deliberately breached by the authorities to allow floodwaters to pass through to the sea. This action successfully prevented expensive bridges being destroyed. After the eruption, bulldozers were quickly able to rebuild the embankments and within a few weeks the highway was reconstructed.

Local impacts: 800 people evacuated Homes and roads were damaged and services (electricity & water) disrupted Local flood defences had to be constructed Crops were damaged by heavy falls of ash Local water supplies were contaminated with fluoride from the ash

National impacts: Drop in tourist numbers – affected Iceland’s economy as well as local people’s jobs and incomes Road transport was disrupted as roads were washed away by floods Agricultural production was affected as crops were smothered by a thick layer of ash Reconstruction of roads and services was expensive

International impacts: Over 8 days – some 100,000 flights were cancelled 10 million air passengers affected Losses estimated to be £80 million Industrial production halted due to a lack of raw materials Fresh food could not be imported Sporting events such as the Japanese Motorcycle grand prix, Rugby leagues challenge cup and the Boston Marathon were affected

International impacts and responses: The eruption of Eyjafjallajokull became an international event in mid-April 2010 as the cloud of fine ash spread south-eastwards toward the rest of Europe. Concerned about the possible harmful effects of ash on aeroplane jet engines, large sections of European airspace closed down. Passenger and freight traffic throughout much of Europe ground to a halt. The knock-on effects were extensive and were felt across the world. Business people and tourists were stranded unable to travel in to or out of Western Europe. Industrial production was affected as raw materials could be flown in and products could not be exported by air. As far away as Kenya, farm workers lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts as fresh produce such as flowers and bean perished, unable to be flown to European supermarkets. The airline companies and airport operators lost huge amounts of money. Some people felt that the closures were an over-reaction and that aeroplanes could fly safely through low concentrations of ash. However, a scientific review conducted after the eruption concluded that under the circumstances it had been right to close the airspace. Further research will be carried out as a long-term response to find better ways of monitoring ash concentrations and improving forecast methods.