The Caribbean is home to majestic volcanoes. In Martinique, there is Mount Pelée. Its last major eruption took place in 1902. Today, it is considered one of the greatest disasters of the 20th century. According to the latest rough estimates, more than 30,000 people died as a result of the volcanic eruption. It should be noted that at the beginning of the 20th century, the inhabitants of the region were watching the volcano and knew about the eruption in advance. Many of them fled to the nearby town of Saint-Pierre to protect themselves from the disaster. However, they could not even imagine what a disaster could bring.
The currents of hot gas and ash during the eruption were so strong that they reached the city in less than a minute. It was completely destroyed. None of the local residents and refugees were able to survive. The recent geological formations of the island are related to the volcanic activity from 1929 to 1932, when the volcano got a new dome. The massive eruption caused underwater geological changes that were only discovered during a thorough investigation. Researchers realized that the seabed near the island of Martinique had fallen a few hundred meters after a catastrophic release of ash and hot gas.
Video
The most unusual cultural attraction on the island is the Museum of Volcanology, where visitors can see many incredible objects and learn how the world’s largest volcanoes shaped the Earth.
Saint-Pierre, Martinique
https://goo.gl/maps/TdrmojwLFH4VQJRE6