Modern Pompeii

Montserrat is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located on the Leeward Islands, which are part of the Lesser Antilles chain. This is a British overseas territory. The island was partially destroyed when the Soufrière Hills erupted in July 1995, dousing the city of Plymouth with mud levels of more than 12 meters in various places. Two-thirds of the island's population were forced to flee. In the late 1990s, the volcano continued to erupt regularly, including an eruption on June 25, 1997, which killed 19 people. The volcano's most recent period of increased activity occurred between November 2009 and February 2010, when the volcano erupted fresh pyroclastic flows and an ash column over 6,000 m high. The volcano has been relatively quiet since 2010, but the city is still buried in mud.

(Total 15 photos)

1. The “closed zone”, which stretches from the southern coast of the island to the northern parts of the Belem Valley, remains active to this day, since the volcano has not yet fallen asleep.

2. Visitors are not allowed into the “closed zone”, but you can admire the impressive view of the ruins of Plymouth from the top of Garibaldi Hill.

3. Despite volcanic activity, most of Montserrat remains green.

4. In February 2005, representatives of the royal family officially opened a new airport in the north of the island.

5. The previous airport was destroyed by a volcano.

6. In the Small Bay, in the north-west of the island, a new capital city and port is developing.

7. Now the government center is in the Brades area.

8.

9.

10.

eleven.

12.

13.

14.

15.