Mountain at La Soufriere has changed in a ‘really big way’ – Scientists

La Soufriere volcano has undergone significant changes since the effusive eruption in December, 2020 and the explosive eruption in April, 2021.

Scientists have continued to monitor and marvel at the transformation of the mountain two years on. Professor Richard Robertson gave a brief overview of La Soufriere post eruption during an appearance on VC3 RoundTable Talk last Thursday.

Photographs taken by the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center (UWI SRC) around the time of the effusive eruption show a small steaming dome growing out of the 1979 dome. In June 2012, no dome growth was observed during a helicopter reconnaissance mission.

Professor Robertson said the mountain has changed in a “really big way” over the years.

“Some aspects of it are still the same, you still have the crater at the top and inside of it. In the past what you saw was a big black dome … and on one side you had a lake. You would also see a part of the dome that was steaming. If you go now you will see that there is no longer any dome, that black mass has gone and half of where that black mass occupied now has a hole in it, an inner crater.”

He said the deposits from La Soufriere have filled in the original crater, allowing easy access to the “floor” of the volcano.

“The volcano has destroyed some of the 1979 dome, the 2021 dome and created an inner crater. Because of all the deposits that came out, the floor of the crater that used to be about 100 meters down, is now in the shortest distance and is now less than about a meter or two. The floor has come up. You could walk into the crater now when you had to use a rope to climb down,” Professor Robertson added.

Commenting on the restoration work done by the National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority to restore the Soufriere trail on the Windward end, Professor Robertson said the monitoring team is able to easily access the volcano to complete their work. However, the leeward side of the mountain has not yet been restored and hiking may be more difficult than normal.

“The mile from the peak of the mountain is largely denued of forests; there are no trees and loose ash so walking on it is not so easy.”

Dr Thomas Christopher said while La Soufriere does not pose an immediate threat to Vincentians, there is still a need for caution during heavy rains as lahars are very much likely to occur.