Pelée volcano (West Indies, France) activity update: Alert Level raised to Yellow - increased seismicity, tremor

The Martinique Volcano Observatory has raised Pelée's alert level to Yellow due to an increase in seismicity under the volcano beginning in April 2019, and observations of tremor last month.

As far as is known, this is the first sign of activity since the end of the 1929-32 eruption. This volcano is of course highly dangerous, and great vigilance of its activity is required. Whether or not it is going to enter a new eruptive period is currently unknown.

From the Observatory:
"The increase in seismicity of superficial volcanic origin (up to 4-5 km below the summit) observed since April 2019, is therefore clearly above the base level characteristic for Mount Pelée.

In April 2019, volcanic seismicity appeared at depth around and under Mount Pelée (more than 10 km below sea level). It could correspond to the arrival at depth of magmatic fluids.

Finally, new recorded tremor-type signals were observed on November 8 and 9, 2020: they could correspond to a reactivation of the hydrothermal system.

Even if, in the current state of measurements, there is no deformation of the volcano on the scale of the observation network, the appearance, in a few months, of these three different types of seismic signals of volcanic origin shows a clear change in the behavior of the volcanic system, the activity of which is increasing from the base level observed over several decades."