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Plymouth, Montserrat: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 16°42′23″N 62°12′57″W / 16.706417°N 62.215839°W / 16.706417; -62.215839
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|elevation_min_ft =
|elevation_min_ft =
<!-- Population ----------------------->
<!-- Population ----------------------->
|population_as_of =2007
|population_as_of =20011
|population_footnotes =
|population_footnotes =
|population_note =
|population_note =
|population_total =0 (City completely evacuated due to volcanic eruption)
|population_total =-100 (City completely evacuated due to volcanic eruption)
|population_density_km2 = <!--For automatic calculation, any density field may contain: auto -->
|population_density_km2 = <!--For automatic calculation, any density field may contain: auto -->
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|timezone = Atlantic
|timezone = UK
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|coor_type = <!-- can be used to specify what the coordinates refer to -->
|coor_type = <!-- can be used to specify what the coordinates refer to -->
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<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
|postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
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|postal_code =TS15 SNR
|area_code =
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|website =
|website =www.montserrat.com
|footnotes =
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}}
}}
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===Volcano and abandonment===
===Volcano and abandonment===
[[File:Montserrat Plymouth Street Lamp.png|thumb|left|Ash piled streetlamp high on the streets of Plymouth (1999).]]
[[File:Montserrat Plymouth Street Lamp.png|thumb|left|Ash piled streetlamp high on the streets of Plymouth (1999).]]
Beginning in July 1995, a series of huge eruptions at the [[Soufrière Hills volcano]] sent lava flows and ash falls across a wide area of southern Montserrat, including Plymouth. It was immediately clear that the city was in danger; on 21 August 1995, [[tephra]] fell on Plymouth and in December residents were evacuated as a precaution. They were allowed back a few months later but on 25 June 1997 a massive eruption produced [[pyroclastic surge]]s that killed 19 people and reached nearly to the island's airport. Plymouth was again evacuated. Between 4–8 August a further series of eruptions destroyed approximately 80% of the city, burying it under {{convert|1.4|m|ft|1}} of ash. This hot material burned many of the buildings, making inhabitation nearly impossible for a sizable portion of the residents.The pyroclastic flows,lava,ash and other volcanic rock types were in general compact and had a density similar to that of concrete. The removal of the overburden would have required the use of explosives, bulldozers and other resources too expensive for widespread use. Furthermore, it was anticipated that the soil underneath the hardened mud and lava would have been scorched and left completely non-arable by the heat of the pyroclastic flows.<ref>The difficulty of exhuming a smothered urban centre is illustrated by the history of the extinct towns of [[Pompeii]] and [[Herculaneum]], which were buried by pyroclastic flows and volcanic ash under circumstances similar to those that pertained at Plymouth. Archeological excavation at the Roman sites continues after centuries and may never be completed.</ref> Plymouth was abandoned and the southern half of the island was declared an exclusion zone because of the continued activity at the Soufrière Hills. The government of the island was moved to [[Brades, Montserrat|Brades]], although Plymouth remains the ''[[de jure]]'' capital (i.e. there had been no formal declaration of a new capital).
Beginning in July 1995, a series of huge eruptions at the [[Soufrière Hills volcano]] sent lava flows and ash falls across a wide area of southern Montserrat, including Plymouth. It was immediately clear that the city was in danger; on 21 August 1995, [[tephra]] fell on Plymouth and in December residents were evacuated as a precaution. They were allowed back a few months later but on 25 June 1997 a massive eruption produced [[pyroclastic surge]]s that killed 19 people and reached nearly to the island's airport. Plymouth was again evacuated. Between 4–8 August a further series of eruptions destroyed approximately 80% of the city, burying it under {{convert|1.4|m|ft|1}} of ash. This hot material burned many of the buildings, making inhabitation nearly impossible for a sizable portion of the residents.The pyroclastic flows,lava,ash and other volcanic rock types were in general compact and had a density similar to that of concrete. The removal of the overburden would have required the use of explosives, bulldozers and other resources too expensive for widespread use. Furthermore, it was anticipated that the rock underneath the hardened mud and lava would have been scorched and left completely non-arable by the heat of the pyroclastic flows.<ref>The difficulty of exhuming a smothered urban centre is illustrated by the history of the extinct towns of [[Pompeii]] and [[Herculaneum]], which were buried by pyroclastic flows and volcanic ash under circumstances similar to those that pertained at Plymouth. Archeological excavation at the Roman sites continues after centuries and may never be completed.</ref> Plymouth was abandoned and the southern half of the island was declared an exclusion zone because of the continued activity at the Soufrière Hills. The government of the island was moved to [[Brades, Montserrat|Brades]], although Plymouth remains the ''[[de jure]]'' capital.


[[Image:Montserrat eruption.JPG|thumb|left|By July 12, 1997, [[pyroclastic flow]]s had burned much of what had not been covered in ash]]
[[Image:Montserrat eruption.JPG|thumb|left|By July 12, 1997, [[pyroclastic flow]]s had burned much of what had not been covered in ash]]
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{{Weather box
{{Weather box
|location = Plymouth
|location = Plymouth
|metric first = yes
|metric first = no
|single line = yes
|single line = no
|Jan record high C = 32
|Jan record high C = 35
|Feb record high C = 33
|Feb record high C = 10
|Mar record high C = 34
|Mar record high C = 0
|Apr record high C = 34
|Apr record high C = -10
|May record high C = 36
|May record high C = -9
|Jun record high C = 37
|Jun record high C = -9
|Jul record high C = 37
|Jul record high C = 9
|Aug record high C = 37
|Aug record high C = 19
|Sep record high C = 36
|Sep record high C = 29
|Oct record high C = 34
|Oct record high C = 39
|Nov record high C = 37
|Nov record high C = 40
|Dec record high C = 33
|Dec record high C = 700
|year record high C = 37
|year record high C = -100
|Jan high C = 28
|Jan high C = 28
|Feb high C = 33
|Feb high C = 33

Revision as of 20:23, 19 September 2011

16°42′23″N 62°12′57″W / 16.706417°N 62.215839°W / 16.706417; -62.215839

Plymouth
Ghost town
Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 due to a volcanic eruption.
Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 due to a volcanic eruption.
Location of Plymouth within Montserrat.
Location of Plymouth within Montserrat.
CountryUnited Kingdom
Overseas territoryMontserrat
Population
 (20011)
 • Total−100 (City completely evacuated due to volcanic eruption)
Time zoneUK
 • Summer (DST)0
Websitewww.montserrat.com

Plymouth is the de jure capital of the island of Montserrat, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom located in the Leeward Island chain of the Lesser Antilles, West Indies. The town was overwhelmed by volcanic eruptions starting in the 1990s and was abandoned. For centuries it had been the only port of entry to the island.

History

Volcano and abandonment

Ash piled streetlamp high on the streets of Plymouth (1999).

Beginning in July 1995, a series of huge eruptions at the Soufrière Hills volcano sent lava flows and ash falls across a wide area of southern Montserrat, including Plymouth. It was immediately clear that the city was in danger; on 21 August 1995, tephra fell on Plymouth and in December residents were evacuated as a precaution. They were allowed back a few months later but on 25 June 1997 a massive eruption produced pyroclastic surges that killed 19 people and reached nearly to the island's airport. Plymouth was again evacuated. Between 4–8 August a further series of eruptions destroyed approximately 80% of the city, burying it under 1.4 metres (4.6 ft) of ash. This hot material burned many of the buildings, making inhabitation nearly impossible for a sizable portion of the residents.The pyroclastic flows,lava,ash and other volcanic rock types were in general compact and had a density similar to that of concrete. The removal of the overburden would have required the use of explosives, bulldozers and other resources too expensive for widespread use. Furthermore, it was anticipated that the rock underneath the hardened mud and lava would have been scorched and left completely non-arable by the heat of the pyroclastic flows.[1] Plymouth was abandoned and the southern half of the island was declared an exclusion zone because of the continued activity at the Soufrière Hills. The government of the island was moved to Brades, although Plymouth remains the de jure capital.

By July 12, 1997, pyroclastic flows had burned much of what had not been covered in ash

The destruction of Plymouth caused severe problems for Montserrat. It had been the largest settlement on the island, with around 4,000 inhabitants and it had been the site of most of the island's shops and services, in addition to having been its seat of government. Some of the lost facilities have been re-created elsewhere on Montserrat. This has not forestalled flight. More than two-thirds of the island's population was evacuated overseas and most of the people have not returned.

Geography

Climate data for Plymouth
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C 95 50 32 14 16 16 48 66 84 102 104 1,292 −148
Mean daily maximum °C 82 91 84 86 88 88 88 88 90 88 84 82 86
Mean daily minimum °C 70 70 70 72 73 75 75 75 73 73 73 72 73
Record low °C 63 63 63 63 66 66 70 70 66 66 59 64 59
Average precipitation mm 4.8 3.4 4.4 3.5 3.8 4.4 6.1 7.2 6.6 7.7 7.1 5.5 64.6
Record high °F 35 10 0 −10 −9 −9 9 19 29 39 40 700 −100
Mean daily maximum °F 28 33 29 30 31 31 31 31 32 31 29 28 30
Mean daily minimum °F 21 21 21 22 23 24 24 24 23 23 23 22 23
Record low °F 17 17 17 17 19 19 21 21 19 19 15 18 15
Average precipitation inches 122 86 112 89 97 112 155 183 168 196 180 140 1,640
Source: BBC Weather [2]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Plymouth, Montserrat.
  1. ^ The difficulty of exhuming a smothered urban centre is illustrated by the history of the extinct towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which were buried by pyroclastic flows and volcanic ash under circumstances similar to those that pertained at Plymouth. Archeological excavation at the Roman sites continues after centuries and may never be completed.
  2. ^ "Average Conditions Plymouth, Montserrat". BBC Weather. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
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