How Could Something So Dangerous Look So Beautiful?

Sometimes they see people where they haven’t seen for a while, and you just sit there or stand there and look at the mountain and you would like ‘Wow’, how could something so dangerous look so beautiful? But then all this time, yeah, we were educated to … it’s really funny but still it’s a good thing in a sense, something to see, something to learn about.

– Montserrat Resident, 2019

Soufrière Hills Volcano at sunrise in February 2010. Credit: Adam Stinton.

When I first saw the first massive plume of ash, it was like ‘WOW’, I can’t describe it, out of this world. And when you had the glowing of the dome at night, we used to go up to certain elevations and it was an attraction, for tourism too. For me, it was really really beautiful, beautiful sight. When it stopped glowing we were like ‘Oww it’s stopped’ in disappointment.

– Montserrat Resident, 2019

I have so many memories of watching these pyroclastic flows, as a matter of fact sometimes we would be out on the hills, and the strange thing was that these pyroclastic flows seemed to be silent until they had passed and it was like you could see all the colours of the rainbow in the pyroclastic flows.

– Montserrat Resident, 2019

1. Watching the Volcano

Fumaroles

2000 +

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1. Watching the Volcano

The Lava Dome Today

2000 +

The Island Today

The Volcano & Belham

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1. Watching the Volcano

Dome Photography

1995

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1999

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The Volcano & Belham

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1. Watching the Volcano

Volcano Burning

1995

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1997

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1999

2000 +

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3. Everyday moments of life and laughter

Glowing

1995

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1999

2000 +

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3. Everyday moments of life and laughter

It Was Like An Excitement

1995

1996

West (Plymouth)

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5. Volcano island

The First Big Explosion: 17 September 1996

1996

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1. Watching the Volcano

Ground Deformation

The Island Today

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4. Falling ash and stones

Almost Like Alaska View >