🌋VolcanoAtlas

Soufrière St. Vincent

The Most Active Volcano in the Eastern Caribbean

Elevation

1,220 m

Last Eruption

2021

Type

Stratovolcano

Country

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location

Loading map...

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskLow
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity5 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

All Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Volcanoes
Explore by country
Stratovolcano Volcanoes
By volcano type
Lesser Antilles
Regional volcanoes
A view of a mountain with clouds in the sky

Aron Marinelli

via Unsplash

A mountain with a cloudy sky in the background

Aron Marinelli

via Unsplash

brown and black mountain with white clouds

Ása Steinarsdóttir

via Unsplash

a volcano erupts lava as it erupts into the night sky

Soliman Cifuentes

via Unsplash

The sun is setting behind a mountain with smoke coming out of it

Dan Meyers

via Unsplash

a snow covered mountain with trees in the foreground

Adrián Valverde

via Unsplash

Interesting Facts

🌋

The 1902 eruption of Soufrière St. Vincent killed approximately 1,600 people just hours before Mont Pelée on Martinique erupted and killed 29,000 — the two deadliest eruptions on the same volcanic arc within a single day.

🌋

Soufrière St. Vincent has produced five explosive eruptions since 1718, with intervals between them decreasing from 94 years to just 42 years — suggesting an accelerating eruptive cycle.

🌋

The 2021 eruption generated more than 30 explosive events over 13 days, yet caused zero direct fatalities thanks to advance monitoring and the evacuation of over 20,000 people.

🌋

J. M. W. Turner painted the 1812 eruption of Soufrière St. Vincent, creating one of the earliest major European artistic depictions of Caribbean volcanism — the painting is now in Liverpool.

🌋

The death zone of the 1902 eruption fell predominantly within Island Carib territory, effectively destroying the last large remnant of indigenous Carib culture on St. Vincent.

🌋

Ash from the 2021 eruption reached Barbados, 190 km to the east, closing Grantley Adams International Airport and blanketing the island in volcanic debris.

🌋

The volcano's summit crater contains a nested structure: a 2.2 km outer caldera, a 1.6 km main crater, and a 500 m wide secondary crater carved by the 1812 eruption.

🌋

Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, is the purported writer of a contemporary account of the volcano's first historically recorded eruption in 1718.

🌋

The 2021 eruption was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic — evacuees required vaccination to board cruise ships or seek refuge on neighbouring islands.

🌋

Pyroclastic density currents from the 1902 eruption swept radially down all flanks of the volcano, killing most victims in barely one hour between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

🌋

At least four volcanoes in the Lesser Antilles bear the name 'Soufrière' (French for 'sulphur outlet'), requiring geographic qualifiers to distinguish them.

🌋

The volcano's fertile volcanic soils support St. Vincent's arrowroot industry — the island was historically the world's leading producer of arrowroot starch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Soufrière St. Vincent still active?
Yes, Soufrière St. Vincent is an active stratovolcano and the most active terrestrial volcano in the Eastern Caribbean. Its most recent eruption occurred in 2020–2021, beginning with an effusive dome-building phase in December 2020 and culminating in a powerful VEI 4 explosive sequence from April 9–22, 2021. The alert level was lowered to Green (lowest level) in March 2022, indicating background-level seismicity and fumarolic activity. However, the volcano is continuously monitored by the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, and scientists consider future eruptions a certainty given its well-documented history of explosive events at decreasing intervals.
When did Soufrière St. Vincent last erupt?
Soufrière St. Vincent last erupted in 2020–2021. An effusive eruption began on December 27, 2020, producing a growing lava dome in the summit crater. The eruption transitioned to an explosive phase on April 9, 2021, at 8:41 AM local time, when a powerful blast sent an ash plume approximately 10,000 m (32,800 ft) into the atmosphere. More than 30 explosive eruptions followed over 13 days, with the final explosion recorded on April 22, 2021. The eruption was rated VEI 4, making it comparable in scale to the devastating 1902 event, though no direct fatalities occurred due to successful evacuations.
How many people died in the 1902 eruption of Soufrière St. Vincent?
Approximately 1,600 people were killed during the 1902 eruption of Soufrière St. Vincent, with most deaths occurring on May 7 between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM when pyroclastic density currents swept radially down the volcano's flanks. An additional 600 people were injured or burned, and some 4,000 were left homeless. The majority of victims were agricultural labourers working on sugar estates on the eastern flanks, who had limited warning and no evacuation infrastructure. The eruption occurred just hours before Mont Pelée on Martinique killed 29,000 people in Saint-Pierre, making May 7–8, 1902, one of the deadliest days in volcanic history.
How tall is Soufrière St. Vincent?
Soufrière St. Vincent rises to 1,220 m (4,003 ft) above sea level, making it the highest peak on St. Vincent Island and the highest point in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Some sources cite the elevation as 1,178 m (3,864 ft) or 1,235 m (4,052 ft), reflecting different survey methods and post-eruption changes to the summit topography. The volcano's height has been altered by successive eruptions: the 2021 explosive sequence destroyed the pre-existing lava dome and excavated a new crater, modifying the summit profile. For comparison, neighbouring Mont Pelée on Martinique stands at 1,372 m and Soufrière Guadeloupe at 1,467 m.
What type of volcano is Soufrière St. Vincent?
Soufrière St. Vincent is classified as a stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, characterised by alternating layers of lava flows, pyroclastic deposits, and volcanic ash built up over thousands of years. Its magma composition is dominantly andesitic to basaltic andesitic (55–58% silica), placing it in the intermediate range that can produce both effusive dome-building eruptions and violently explosive events. The summit features a complex nested crater structure: a 2.2 km wide outer caldera breached to the southwest, a 1.6 km wide inner crater, and a 500 m secondary crater formed in 1812. This dual effusive-explosive behaviour is typical of andesitic stratovolcanoes on subduction zone arcs worldwide.
Could Soufrière St. Vincent erupt again?
Yes, another eruption of Soufrière St. Vincent is considered certain by volcanologists. The volcano has produced five explosive eruptions since 1718, with the intervals between events decreasing from 94 years to just 42 years. Research on the past 1,000 years of eruptive deposits identifies a crude cyclicity of repose periods between 77 and 140 years, with more recent intervals systematically shortening. The 2021 eruption did not deplete the underlying magma system, and low-level seismicity continues beneath the edifice. While there are currently no signs of an imminent eruption, the UWI Seismic Research Centre maintains continuous monitoring to detect any early warning signs of renewed unrest.
What would happen if Soufrière St. Vincent had a major eruption today?
A major eruption of Soufrière St. Vincent would require the evacuation of approximately 20,000 residents from the Red and Orange hazard zones on the northern end of St. Vincent — exactly the scenario that played out in April 2021. Pyroclastic density currents could reach the coast within minutes through established valley systems, heavy ashfall would blanket the entire island and potentially reach neighbouring Barbados and Saint Lucia, and lahars would threaten river valleys for months afterward. The small size of St. Vincent (345 km²) limits on-island evacuation options, requiring maritime evacuations to neighbouring islands. NEMO maintains emergency plans and shelter networks, and the 2021 experience has strengthened response capacity.
Can you hike to the summit of Soufrière St. Vincent?
As of 2025, the La Soufrière summit trail remains closed due to unstable terrain left by the April 2021 eruption, including loose pyroclastic deposits and ongoing lahar hazards during rainfall. Prior to the eruption, the summit hike was one of the most popular treks in the Eastern Caribbean, ascending through tropical rainforest over 3–4 hours to the crater rim. Visitors should consult NEMO or the UWI Seismic Research Centre for current trail conditions before planning any visit. Lower-altitude trails on the volcano's flanks, including the Vermont Nature Trail, remain accessible for birdwatching and rainforest walks.