Soufrière Hills Volcano had two more phases of increased activity between 2008 and 2010, characterised by lava dome growth and collapse, ash venting and occasional Vulcanian eruptions. The last major dome collapse at Soufrière Hills Volcano happened at 11 February 2010. The volcanic debris produced during the event buried Bramble airport under up to 30 m of volcanic debris, and created 1 square kilometre of new land along Trant’s coastline.
A large pyroclastic flow descended Gage's on 1 February 2010. Credit: Richard Roscoe / Stocktrek Images / Alamy.
Magma stopped coming out of the vent after this event. However, since then, Soufrière Hills has had two phases of vigorous ash venting and small explosions, in March 2014 and March 2016, and the lava dome still shows active degassing today.
The steaming lava dome at Soufrière Hills Volcano in 2013. Credit: Chuck Stanley / flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
The Soufrière Hills lava dome is still degassing in 2019. Credit: Karen Pascal.
This shows that the volcano is certainly not back to dormancy just yet, and therefore volcanologists at MVO keep a close eye on it at all times.
Volcano When You Gonna Stop
‘Volcano when you gonna stop / Blowing your top
One day you gonna calm down / You gonna come round, you gonna settle down
Volcano when you gonna stop / Blowing your top
One day you gonna settle down / You gonna come around
Say a prayer for Montserrat / Can you just do that
Down on this land / We’re fighting on the land, oh, oh
You’re beautiful / So wonderful
Especially at night
Seeing mountain glow / Oh what a show
Looking out at Plymouth / See the sun shining through
Grasses are green / Evergreen scene, oh what a dream
I still can remember / my friends my home
Early morning drive / Heading to Long Ground, oh, oh
I miss you, miss you, miss you
Volcano when you gonna stop / Blowing your top
One day you gonna calm down / You gonna come round, gonna settle down’
– Extract from Song 'Volcano When You Gonna Stop' by Darkman
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