Mount Pelee Volcano, France

Caribbean is the seat of the majestic volcanoes. Here, on the island of Martinique, there is Mount Pelee. Its last major eruption occurred in 1902. Now, it’s considered one of the greatest catastrophes of the 20th century. Only by rough estimates, over 30 000 people were killed by the volcanic eruption. It’s noteworthy that at the beginning of the 20th century the local people were monitoring the volcano and knew about the eruption in advance. Many of them fled to the nearby town of Saint-Pierre to protect themselves from the devastating disaster. However, they could not even imagine what a disaster waited for them.

Streams of hot gas and ash during the eruption were so strong that they reached the city in less than a minute. It was completely destroyed. None of the local residents and refugees could survive. Recent geological formations that have occurred on the island are linked to the volcanic activity of 1929 - 1932's, when the volcano got a new dome. The massive eruption caused underwater geological changes that were found only during the detailed investigation. Researchers realized that the seabed near the island of Martinique has been dropped a few hundred meters after a catastrophic release of hot ash and gas.

Today, the island of Martinique is incredibly popular among travelers largely due to its unique natural attractions. The most unusual cultural attraction of the island is the Volcanology Museum, where visitors can see many incredible artifacts and learn how the world's greatest volcanoes have shaped the Earth. Next - Sakurajima Volcano