Mountain type Stratovolcano (active) Last eruption 1979 | Elevation 1,234 m Prominence 1,234 m | |
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Listing North America isolated 123rd
Country high point Location Saint Vincent, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, West Indies Volcanic arc/belt Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc Easiest route From the windward (Atlantic) side Parent range Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc Similar Soufrière Hills, Mount Pelée, Kick 'em Jenny, Volcán Azul, Cuilapa‑Barbarena | ||
La Soufrière (Vincentian Creole: Soufray) ("The Sulfurer") or Soufrière Saint Vincent is an active volcano on the island of Saint Vincent in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean. Many volcanoes in the Caribbean are named Soufrière (French: "sulphur outlet"). These include Soufrière Hills on Montserrat and La Grande Soufrière on Guadeloupe, the subject of Werner Herzog's 1977 film La Soufrière.
Contents
- Map of La SoufriC3A8re St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Geography and structure
- Eruptive history
- References
Map of La Soufri%C3%A8re, St Vincent and the Grenadines
Geography and structure
At 1,234 m (4,049 ft), La Soufrière is the highest peak on Saint Vincent as well as the highest point in the island country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Soufrière is a stratovolcano with a crater lake and is the island's youngest and northernmost volcano.
Eruptive history
La Soufrière violently erupted in 1718, 1812, 1902, 1971, and 1979. The eruption of 6th May 1902, just hours before the eruption of Mount Pelée on Martinique, killed 1,680 people. The death zone, where almost all persons were killed, was close to entirely Carib. This last large remnant of Carib culture was destroyed, the island of Dominica's Carib Territory being much smaller in comparison at that time.
The last recorded eruption was in April 1979; due to advance warning there were no casualties.
A famous painting by JMW Turner of the eruption on 13 April 1812 belongs to the Victoria Gallery & Museum, University of Liverpool.