Soufrière, Montserrat

Soufrière is an active volcano located in the south of the island of Montserrat. Here is one of the few places in the world where an active volcano can be observed. The rainforest, the cliffs and the valleys are always covered with the cloud of smoke that rises from its crater. At night, the ejected gases emit a strange red light. In 1995, the volcano erupted suddenly. Montserrat's capital Plymouth was covered in a thick cloud of volcanic ash. 12,000 people had to be evacuated.

The Soufrière volcano is constantly monitored by scientists from the Volcanology Observatory. A 34 kilometer "Safety Zone" has been delineated beyond which tourists can observe the remains of Plymouth.