What Would Happen If a Hurricane Hit an Erupting Volcano?
A showdown of natural forces could have unanticipated consequences in the Caribbean.
In addition to the cars flipped, the roofs collapsed, and the streets flooded, this season’s unprecedented string of devastating hurricanes also hit a much grander target: a volcano. The Caribbean island of Montserrat, home to the active Soufrière Hills volcano, twice suffered blows: first an almost-direct hit by Category 5 Hurricane Irma, then a direct hit by Category 5 Hurricane Maria.
The volcano’s peak this year was, thankfully, more noisy than explosive. No volcano-related calamities were reported from the storm. But the collision of the two disaster-movie terrors reveals the possibility of an unnerving scenario: What happens when a superstorm lands on a
