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Global Volcanism Program | Image GVP-05001

The deceptively serene-looking Pelee volcano towers above the Caribbean city of St. Pierre, located only 7.5 km to its south.  Nearly 30,000 people of St. Pierre and surrounding towns were killed by pyroclastic flows and surges from Mount Pelee in 1902.  The long ridge extending SW from Pelee is the northern wall of a large horseshoe-shaped caldera created by a massive volcanic landslide during the Pleistocene.  The modern Pelee volcano, capped by lava domes from the 1902 and 1929 eruptions, was constructed within this scarp.   Copyrighted photo by Katia and Maurice Krafft, 1988.

The deceptively serene-looking Pelee volcano towers above the Caribbean city of St. Pierre, located only 7.5 km to its south. Nearly 30,000 people of St. Pierre and surrounding towns were killed by pyroclastic flows and surges from Mount Pelee in 1902. The long ridge extending SW from Pelee is the northern wall of a large horseshoe-shaped caldera created by a massive volcanic landslide during the Pleistocene. The modern Pelee volcano, capped by lava domes from the 1902 and 1929 eruptions, was constructed within this scarp.

Copyrighted photo by Katia and Maurice Krafft, 1988.

Copyrighted image used with permission. All Rights Reserved. Contact photographer for any usage requests.


Pelée