St Pierre, Martinique
St Pierre
Theatre Ruins
The Prison Cell
The islands in this part of the Caribbean are like acne on the surface of the earth. Volcanic in origin, the seemingly innocuous peaks have a nasty habit of coming back to life, such as in Monserrat not so long ago.
Just over 100 years ago, this town at the north-western tip of Martinique was the capital of the island. Only a few days after a ‘Michael Fish’ pronouncement of continued dormancy by a volcanologist, there was a devastating eruption that destroyed the town with the loss of the population. It was recorded that only 2 people survived, most notably a prisoner in the local jail. His cell can be seen in the photo.
The town never really recovered, and now only around 5,000 people live there compared to the 30,000 before. The ruins can still be seen in places, either as traces such as the theatre and prison, or as the lower parts of replacement buildings. It has a slightly eery feel to it, probably because the damage is still evident throughout.
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