The previously dormant Montserrat Volcano located in the Soufrière Hills on the Caribbean island of Montserrat erupted in 1995. The explosion released ash for months, changing the island’s landscape. Nineteen lives were lost in the disaster, and communities in the vicinity of the volcanic eruption were forced to evacuate. The tragedy also laid bare existing economic and social issues in the region.
In a mitigation brief, Yemima Prophete discusses the damages of the Montserrat Volcano including harm to infrastructure and landscape. The brief outlines the significant impact the disaster had on public health such as causing respiratory issues like asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB).
Prophete includes information on how the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and the Office of Disaster Management (ODM) worked with stakeholders in the community to provide emergency response for locals in the area.