Volcano Learning ZoneVolcano Learning Zone

Great for School work




Why are there volcanoes in the Caribbean?

World volcano Profiles >Caribbean Volcanoes>




Tectonic map of the CaribbeanVolcanic activity in the Caribbean has created some of the most beautiful paridise islands in the world. During the 20th Century two of these islands were reminded of the destrucutive power of volcanoes. Montserrat and Martinique both had sleeping volcanoes which woke up dramatically.

The Antilles Volcanic Island Arc has created an archipelogo of tropical islands.As the North Atlantic plate has subducted benath the Caribbean plate magma has risen through the crust to puncture the plate above and create volcanic islands. Most of the eruptions would have been violent and included pyroclastic flows like on Montserrat.Soufriere Hills Eruption MVO


In 1995 on the small British island of Montserrat the Soufriere Hills volcano started a series of dramatic eruptions which devasted the southern two thirds of the island.Dramatic pyroclastic flows swept down all sides of the volcano wiping out the tropical landscape and consuming the capital ,Plymouth.

In 1902 Mt.Pelee on the French Island of Martinique killed
30 000 people when a dramatic eruption swept through the town of St.Pierre.