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Liamuiga Volcano | John Seach
(Mount Misery)
St Kits, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Caribbean
17.37 N, 62.80 W
summit elevation 1156 m
stratovolcano
Liamuiga Volcano is located at the NW end of St. Kitts Island. Two lava domes are located on the upper western flank. The most recent major eruptions less than 2000 years ago produced pyroclastic flows and mudflows. Fumaroles are active in the summit crater.
The central cone consists of basalt and andesite lavas, and the lower ground around the cone is made up of mainly pyroclastic deposits. Eruptive rocks from Mt Liamuiga range from basalt to andesite, with basalts and basaltic andesites making up 30% of the total volume. Mt Liamuiga rocks show phenocryst distributions and compositional ranges that are comparable with those found in other Lesser Antilles volcanoes.
Earthquake swarm occurred at the volcano in 1988.
Eruptions at Liamuiga Volcano
Fumaroles are present in the crater, but it is unlikely that any eruptions have occurred at Liamuiga Volcano since the island was settled by Europeans in 1624.
Reports of eruptions in 1692 and 1843 were probably gas explosions from fumaroles.
Pyroclastic flows on the northern and western flanks of Mt Liamuiga were erupted 1800 years ago. A series of parasitic domes is located on the flanks of Mt Liamuiga and the South East Range. The most accessible, the andesitic Brimstone Hill may have been erupted during the time of the pre-Columbian Indians, 3000 years ago.
Sandy Point dome has not been dated but the degree of weathering suggests that it is of similar age to Brimstone Hill.
Further reading
Harkness, D.D., Roobol, M.J., Smith, A.L., Stipp, J.J. and Baker, P.E., 1994. Radiocarbon redating of contaminated samples from a tropical volcano: the Mansion ‘Series’ of St Kitts, West Indies. Bulletin of Volcanology, 56(5), pp.326-334.
Liamuiga Volcano Eruptions
1843?, 1692?, 160 AD ± 200, 60 AD ± 100.