White Island’s Tragic Warning

Harrowing coverage of the White Island volcano disaster has been beamed around the world these past few weeks. At time of writing it’s known that the sudden volcanic eruption on December 9 on the New Zealand island (Maori name Whakaari) has claimed the lives of 17 people, with more injured or still missing. This tragedy has not only generated new debate in New Zealand surrounding the safety of some of its adventure tourism offerings – long a market it has looked to foster and grow – but also around the world regarding the safety of similar tours and wider safety measures in place for those who live and work in proximity to active volcanoes. 

The Caribbean has 19 active volcanos – sites deemed likely to erupt again – so what can we learn from White Island? And what does local history tell us about the Caribbean’s unique considerations when it comes to post-eruption safety?

The Reality of ‘High’ and ‘Low’ Risk Assessments

Relatively few people, when asked ‘Would you like to visit an active volcano?’ would say yes. By its nature, volcano tourism will always be something of a niche field, yet there’s an immense distinction between active volcanoes that are high risk, and those deemed low risk. It’s also important to recognise that even volcanoes classed as having a high risk of eruption – such as the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii – can still have tourists enjoy the site, year in and year out.

The same certainly applies in Saint Lucia where locals intuitively understand the value a volcanic site can bring to national tourism. Soufriere’s Sulphur Springs draws visitors for its spectacular vistas, hot springs, mud baths and the site’s rich connection with the island’s history. Scientists hold there’s only a slim chance of a magmatic eruption this century. This is undoubtedly reassuring to locals and visitors alike but, looking beyond Saint Lucia, ironically it’s the volcanoes deemed a ‘lower risk’ that can pose a greater threat to human beings. 

The authorities that administer the Hawaii Volcano National Park closely monitor the seismic activity and other indicators within the park, and will restrict access if there’s an uptick in danger. By contrast, the hazard with volcanoes that are in remote areas and are deemed low risk, is that proper and pro-active observation can falter over time, with little notice or consequence resulting – until disaster strikes. 

Lessons from Local Eruptions

The White Island tragedy has increased criticism surrounding volcano tourism. It forms part of a broader conversation about the effectiveness of current processes for disaster management once a volcano erupts. Distinct from other natural disaster scenarios where people may be able to remain and try to defend their property, when a volcano does blow, there’s no option but to flee.

The Caribbean is no stranger to tragedy in this area. La Soufriere in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines erupted in 1902 and claimed the lives of some 1,600 people. The same volcano had also erupted violently early in the 19th and 18th centuries. 

1902 was also a horrific year for Martinique, with a May 8 eruption of Mount Pelée killing nearly 30,000 people in the town of St. Pierre – a disaster that remains among the worst in the history of recorded eruptions. All the victims are believed to have died due to suffocation and burns within minutes of the volcano blowing, evidence that the only guaranteed safety from an eruption is being outside its danger zone. 

Over a century on, lessons remain to be learned when it comes to volcano safety as a whole. The sole survivor in St. Pierre was Auguste Ciparis, the lone person in the town’s dungeon. It’s for history to be concerned with why Ciparis was in the dungeon; it’s for us to recognise that when strong shelters do exist, there is the potential for people to survive, even if unable to flee. Achieving this in our time requires safety plans that are comprehensive, and maintained to remain contemporary.

The Rewards of Research

While recent events have shown the dangers of getting too close to a volcano, improving awareness and safety could also be accompanied by more research which can deliver an array of benefits. The 2014 remotely operated submarine expedition to explore Kick’em Jenny, the highly dangerous and active volcano that sits beneath the water several miles off the north coast of Grenada, discovered that life existed in it. This enhances our understanding of how volcanoes operate, and what can sustain within them.

It’s unimaginable that human beings will ever arrive at a point where safely being in close proximity to active volcanoes is an option, but greater research into deep sea diving, flight and other pursuits that place us in extreme environments has built our expertise and delivered new innovations. 

Preparing Tomorrow’s Responses Today

Caribbean nations have been formed and operate day-by-day with a certain fatalism about natural risks. Beyond volcanoes, every year the threat posed by hurricanes means a disaster can arise suddenly that threatens lives and livelihoods. Accepting this is one thing; accepting that nothing more could be done to enhance defences and minimise harm, is another.