December 26, 1997 Eruption of Soufriere Hills
Soufriere Hills in Montserrat erupted on December 26, 1997. It caused a tsunami.
Where it erupted
Soufriere Hills, Montserrat, with its other significant eruptions.
The eruption
- Date
- December 26, 1997
- Volcano
- Soufriere Hills, stratovolcano
- Country
- Montserrat
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Location
- 16.720° N, 62.180° W
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this eruption.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
A volcanic debris slide of 60 million cubic meters occurred in the White River Valley, Montserrat, on December 26th (named the Boxing Day Collapse). On the night of the eruption there were reports of a wave inundating the Old Road Bay area, 10 km from the landslide site. A small tsunami was generated, probably by the steep flow front of the debris avalanche, possibly assisted by the pyroclastic flows as they entered the sea at the mouth of the White River Valley. (reference #1315)
Other significant eruptions of Soufriere Hills
More
Every eruption in 1997The 1900sSoufriere HillsEarthquakes near Soufriere HillsThis day in weather history
Sources
Volcanoes and significant eruptions from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 4808.