TMR: Bennette Roach: June 29, 2018 – As a result of that article, On March 16, 2018 we front paged the following “UK newspapers endanger
Montserrat”. https://www.themontserratreporter.com/uk-newspapers-endanger-montserrat-again/ We noted: “It wouldn’t be the first time that UK Newspapers have distorted and published information that turned out unfavourable and detrimental to the Island…Following the publication on 7 March 2018 of two articles in UK newspapers members of the public have expressed concerns about the current status of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat (SHV)…The newspaper articles are misleading and, in the case of The Express, alarmist!”

The following article comes three months later and will help to restore some credibility… we would like to hear from ‘The Guardian’, who earlier had, according to sources, refused to recant.

The Expess: On 07 March 2018 we published an articled headline “Montserrat’s volcano update: Is the terrifying volcano at risk of imminent eruption?”.

The article said that the volcano was showing signs of intense activity. The article was subsequently amended on 03 April 2018.

The article claimed that ‘Montserrat’s dormant volcano last erupted in 1997, when the fiery mountain reared its ugly head after a two-year-longperiod of activity.’ This is incorrect.

The eruption started in 1995 and has continued ever since that date, with five “pauses” in the surface activity.

According to the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) the volcano is currently in such a pause, which started in February 2010.

Inflation, earthquakes and gas characterise these pauses. The first paragraph said that volcano-tectonic earthquakes in February had ‘sparking fears of eruption.

The MVO state that nobody in the Monserrat government, or scientific community has developed a fear of an eruption because of these earthquakes.

According to the MVO five earthquakes in a week is not unusual for the Monserrat volcano because the average weekly rate since February 2010 is four.

One week recorded 62 such earthquakes.

This type of earthquake activity, known as a “swarm”, is considered to be perfectly normal at this stage in the eruption.

The article also said “But volcanologists monitoring the volcano have noted increased volcanic stirring underneath Montserrat.”

We have been asked to clarify that the MVO has regularly reported on activity and that since 2010 there has been gradual inflation of the volcano and the entire island due to the influx of magma at depth.

Professor Neuberg had been re-examining some of the data in a quest for an alternative explanation and concluded that there is no reason to change MVO’s interpretation.

The rate quoted of “35 cubic feet of magma building up beneath the island every seven seconds” is a new estimate, but remains the average rate since 2010.

Consequently there has been no “increased volcanic stirring”.

Since February 2010 the advice from MVO has always been that the eruption is not over and that surface activity may restart.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/clarifications-corrections/978179/Montserrats-volcano-clarification