A steam-and-ash plume from the summit of La Soufrière volcano rises above the deserted streets of Basse-Terre in October 1976. Intense controversy surrounded the evacuation of 72,000 people living on the flanks of the volcano. The evacuation, which had resulted in major economic and social disruption, was officially ended in November. This eruption ended without catastrophe, unlike another West Indies eruption two decades later, when the evacuated capital city of Montserrat was devastated by pyroclastic flows.

Photo by Richard Fiske, 1976 (Smithsonian Institution).

This image is made available under the Public Domain Dedication CC0 license, but proper attribution is appreciated.

Soufrière Guadeloupe