Overview
- The Martinique observatory recorded 331 volcanic earthquakes in July, including a spike of 124 quakes between July 24 and July 31, reversing recent baselines and prompting heightened monitoring.
- Since May researchers have measured several inches of summit uplift with current surface inflation near 0.5 inch per month driven by a pressurized source about 0.6 miles beneath the summit, though uplift slowed slightly in the latest four-week interval.
- Nearly all recent quakes have been shallow (roughly 0.5 to just over 1 mile beneath the summit), low magnitude (about M1) and were not felt on the surface.
- Scientists identified one deeper event about three miles below sea level in the zone between the hydrothermal system and the upper magma reservoir, and they say repeated activity at that depth would be an important indicator of changing magma or fluid movement.
- The observatory raised the alert to YELLOW to reflect elevated unrest and continued uncertainty, warning that an eruption in the medium term (weeks to months) cannot be excluded and that any future eruption could threaten people on Martinique and disrupt aviation; the island’s deadly 1902 eruption and prior hazard studies shape current preparedness.