Montserrat Volcano Observatory


Daily Report
Report for the period 6 pm 4 January
to 6 pm 5 January 1998


Activity at the volcano continues at a moderate level. Between 16:00 yesterday and 16:00 today there were 15 hybrid earthquakes, 73 rockfall signals and 1 volcano-tectonic earthquake. The rock fall events were concentrated in the morning with a larger pyroclastic flow in the Galways Soufriere area. The rockfalls and hybrids tended to occur in short periods of higher activity approximately 6 to 8 hours apart, although the peaks in activity are not well defined.

Cloud has covered the top of the volcano all day and so there have been no good views of the crater formed by the Boxing Day collapse. Further visits to the areas affected by the Boxing Day eruption show that the area between the Galways estate sugar mill and the White River have been severely eroded with scoured bedrock and few buildings remaining.

Air quality at all monitoring stations across the island is good today.

People should remain alert and listen to Radio Montserrat for further information.


Montserrat Volcano Observatory