GS Paper 1 10 marks · 150w 9 min Medium
Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment.
Subtopic: Geography · vulcanicity and geophysical phenomena
How to structure your answer
Introduction: 2021 saw eruptions across the Ring of Fire, Atlantic and African rift → Enumerate occurrences: La Soufrière, Nyiragongo, Fagradalsfjall, Cumbre Vieja, Semeru, Etna, Taal, Hunga Tonga onset → Regional environmental impacts: ashfall on crops and water, lava destruction, displacement, aviation and air quality, lahars → Longer-term effects: fertile soils, tourism → Conclusion: monitoring and preparedness
Detailed model answer
225 words · target 150 words · 9 min
2021 was an unusually active volcanic year, with major eruptions along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Atlantic hotspot-rift systems and the East African Rift.
Major occurrences of 2021
- La Soufrière (St Vincent, Caribbean, April): explosive eruption forced evacuation of about 20,000 people.
- Mount Nyiragongo (DR Congo, May): fast-moving lava reached Goma’s outskirts, killing over 30 and displacing hundreds of thousands.
- Fagradalsfjall (Iceland, March–September): effusive fissure eruption after nearly 800 years in the Reykjanes peninsula.
- Cumbre Vieja (La Palma, September–December): 85 days of lava destroyed some 3,000 buildings and banana plantations.
- Mount Semeru (Indonesia, December): pyroclastic flows and lahars killed around 50 people.
- Mount Etna (Italy) erupted repeatedly through 2021, and the Hunga Tonga eruption began in late December, climaxing in January 2022.
Impact on regional environment
- Ashfall blanketed farmland and contaminated drinking water in St Vincent and around Semeru, damaging crops and livestock.
- Lava flows buried settlements and roads in La Palma and Goma; new lava deltas altered coastal ecology.
- Sulphur dioxide plumes degraded regional air quality, and ash clouds repeatedly closed airports (Catania, La Palma, Goma).
- Rain-mobilised lahars extended destruction far downstream of Semeru.
- Longer term, weathered volcanic deposits enrich soils, and Iceland’s accessible eruption even boosted geotourism.
The year underlined that dense settlement on volcanic flanks converts natural events into disasters — strengthening monitoring, hazard zonation and early evacuation remains the decisive variable.
What an examiner expects to see
- Name at least four to five 2021 eruptions with location: La Soufrière (St Vincent), Nyiragongo (DRC), Fagradalsfjall (Iceland), Cumbre Vieja (La Palma), Semeru (Indonesia), Etna (Italy).
- Tectonic spread: Ring of Fire (Semeru, Taal), Atlantic hotspot/rift (Iceland, Canaries), East African Rift (Nyiragongo) — shows global occurrence.
- Human toll: ~20,000 evacuated in St Vincent; 30-plus dead and mass displacement in Goma; ~50 dead at Semeru.
- Property and land: La Palma's 85-day eruption destroyed ~3,000 buildings and banana plantations.
- Environmental pathways: ashfall on crops and water, SO2 plumes degrading air quality, lahars, aviation shutdowns.
- Balance with long-term effects: fertile andisol soils, new land from lava deltas, geotourism (Iceland).
- Hunga Tonga began erupting late December 2021, climaxing January 2022 — mention with correct chronology.
Concrete cases, schemes and judgments
- La Soufrière eruption, St Vincent (April 2021) — ~20,000 evacuated
- Nyiragongo lava flow toward Goma, DR Congo (May 2021)
- Cumbre Vieja, La Palma (Sept–Dec 2021) — ~3,000 buildings destroyed
- Fagradalsfjall fissure eruption, Iceland (March 2021)
- Mount Semeru pyroclastic flows and lahars, Indonesia (December 2021)
Terminology to weave into the answer
Ring of Firepyroclastic flowlahareffusive vs explosive eruptionashfallhazard zonation