Challenges of Volcanic Crises on Small Islands States

Abstract

Island communities frequently display specific risk-related characteristics that are attributable to the island locations of volcano-affected communities, in terms of exposure, vulnerability and living with the volcanic risk. This chapter examines volcanic crisis response and communication in island communities. We analyse lessons from volcanic crises in 1976 at La Soufrière (Guadeloupe, France), in 2005 and 2006 at Karthala (Grande Comore, Comoros), and in 1995 at Fogo (Cape Verde). Our analysis underscores the strong influence of deep-seated causes (historical, political, cultural, social, economic, and environmental) on the success and failure of volcanic risk communication, all of which are affected by island characteristics. The case studies demonstrate the intensity of politics that manifests in these instances-perhaps because of, rather than despite, the smallness and tightness of the communities, amongst other island characteristics. Consequently, improved information and less uncertainty would not straightforwardly lead to better communication or more harmonious acceptance of decision-making processes and of decisions.

Volcanic Unrest and Pre-eruptive Processes: A Hazard and Risk Perspective

“…Barclay et al 2008Barclay et al , 2015Komorowski et al 2017). While communicating this information in a timely and comprehensible format is challenging, the evidence presented here suggests that a continuous discourse is needed between different stakeholders ideally both before, during and after an unrest situation.…”

“…The high uncertainty about a so-called "unequivocal" impending disaster fostered a binary zero-sum strongly opinionated approach in the scientific discourse. The public debate thus became polarized on issues of opposing "truths" served by contrasted scientific expertise rather than on how science could help constrain epistemic and aleatoric uncertainty and foster improved decision-making in the context of uncertainty (Komorowski et al 2017). This situation acted as an ideal crucible to fuel a media-hyped controversy on the crisis and its management.…”

“…Uncertainties in the decision-making process may give rise to "false alerts" (i.e., false positives; see Table 2) and actions by civil protection with adverse impacts on the compliance of affected communities in future unrest events. (3) Lack of globally accepted and standardised approach for the terminology, methodology, (Johnson 1987;Haynes et al 2008;Christie et al 2015;Komorowski et al 2017). …”

“…Volcanic regions only very rarely suffer solely from the impacts of a single natural hazard (e.g. volcanic small-island developing states discussed in Wilkinson et al 2016;Komorowski et al 2017). Therefore methods that consider the multi-hazard context more clearly may ultimately help communities at risk cope with uncertainty in face of volcanic hazards.…”

Integrating spatial accessibility in the design of volcano evacuation plans in the French West Indies (Guadeloupe and Martinique)

“…The analysis of degradation in road accessibility poses the problem of interdependency of major land assets and questions the alternative abilities of functioning during a crisis, and thus, of territorial resilience (Dauphiné and Provitolo 2007;Reghezza-Zitt et al 2012). This last point requires careful attention concerning small, insular, ultra-peripheral, isolated and confined spaces (Komorowski et al 2016;Brown et al 2015a). Small islands like Martinique and Guadeloupe are furthermore highly dependent on external resources and on their road networks that are essentially coastal and with low connectivity, and highly exposed to lahar-prone rivers draining radially from the central mountainous areas.…”