Chances Peak
| Chances Peak | |||
| Montserrat | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Chances Peak | |||
| Range: | Soufrière Hills | ||
| Summit: | 3,002 feet (varies) 16°42’40"N, 62°10’38"W | ||
Chances Peak on Montserrat is the culminant point of the active complex stratovolcano named Soufrière Hills. It is the highest point of the island and territory.
The height of Chances Peak is usually given as 3,002 feet, but the lava dome in English's Crater varies; in 2006 for example it was measured at 3,051 feet but there have been several eruptions since then, the latest in 2012.
On 17 September 1965 a Boeing 707 aircraft operating as Pan Am Flight 292 flew into Chances Peak near the summit and was destroyed, killing the 30 people on board.[1]
Eruptions have been frequent since 1995 when the volcano awoke from its dormant state. In 1997 a major eruption devastated the southern part of the island and buried the capital, Plymouth. Agricultural land was destroyed, villages were flattened and 19 people were killed. The crisis prompted more than half of the island's population to leave; those who stayed were evacuated to the north. The restless volcano has prevented their return.
Outside links
- Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) - Current monitoring of the Soufrière Hills Volcano in Montserrat.
- USGS Info on Soufrière Hills Volcano
- British Geological Survey
References
- ↑ Aviation Safety Network N708PA accident synopsis retrieved 2010-06-14