Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory located in Central America on the island of Montserrat in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. The official capital of this island is Plymouth, which is the only abandoned capital city in the world. However, it wasn't always this way. The tragedy that changed this occurred in the 1990s.
What Happened in Plymouth, Montserrat? Hurricane Hugo Was the First Major Disaster
According to Britannica, the current capital of Montserrat is the village of Brades, where the most important state institutions were moved after the 1997 tragedy. Montserrat is a volcanic island, with three groups of volcanoes: Silver Hill in the north, Centre Hills in the center, and Soufrière in the south. The eruption of the latter changed Plymouth forever, but before that, the residents of this territory had to face another catastrophe.
Hurricane Hugo struck the Caribbean and the Virgin Islands, crossing Guadeloupe and Saint Croix on September 17 and 18, 1989. According to information available on the official website of The University of the West Indies, it was classified as a Category 4 hurricane. Although the eye of the hurricane missed Montserrat, the strong winds accompanying Hugo – reaching over 225 kilometers per hour – caused immense damage to the island. Nearly every home was destroyed or damaged, and 11,000 of the island's 12,000 residents were left homeless. Many schools, hospitals, and churches were destroyed, as well as the police department, government headquarters, and the main power station. Mudslides caused by heavy rain added to the problem. In total, 10 people lost their lives, 89 were injured, and the damage was estimated at over $260 million, or over 995 million PLN in today’s currency. However, the worst was yet to come.
Why Does No One Live in Plymouth, Montserrat? The Volcanic Eruption Forced Residents to Evacuate
After Hurricane Hugo, Plymouth slowly began to recover, but in 1995, the Soufrière volcano erupted. According to the portal Visit Montserrat, this was the first major eruption of the volcano in around 400 years. A second major eruption occurred in June 1997. As a result, 19 people lost their lives, and by the end of December of the same year, around seven square kilometers of forests, farmland, and villages were leveled by debris and pyroclastic flows following the volcanic explosion. It was then that the decision was made to completely evacuate the island. Many buildings still bear traces of everyday life, which had to be abandoned, but everything is covered in a thick layer of ash. A no-residence exclusion zone was established in the southern part of Montserrat. While Plymouth can still be visited, it is only accessible with a certified tour guide.
