Plymouth is the official capital city of the beautiful Caribbean island of Montserrat, but while it once had a population of 4,000 it was dramatically deserted almost 30 years ago
A capital city with beautiful beaches nearby has found its way into the Guinness Book of Records – because not a single person lives there.
Plymouth is still legally the capital of Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. But 30 years ago, a devastating volcanic eruption forced its residents to evacuate.
The northern part of the island has some incredible white sand beaches while it is also renowned for its hiking trails, mainly in the Centre Hills, but the southern part of Montserrat resembles a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
The city of Plymouth had a population of around 4,000 before the long-inactive Soufrière Hills volcano erupted on July 18, 1995, forcing the townspeople to flee. It has been labelled by some a modern-day Pompeii.
The terrifying eruption would eventually render two-thirds of the Caribbean island an exclusion zone. A series of huge eruptions in 1995 sent ash falls across a wide area of Montserrat, including Plymouth.
Residents were initially evacuated in August 1995 before they were allowed to return the following month. There was renewed volcanic activity in December of that year which sparked a second evacuation, lasting for another month.
There were further eruptions in 1996 and 1997 which eventually left the Montserrat government with no choice but to strictly prohibit access into Plymouth. During and after the volcanic activity about two-thirds of residents fled the island, many to the UK but also to other Caribbean islands, including to nearby Antigua and Barbuda.
YouTube channel Beyond Civilisation is among those who have ventured beyond the exclusion zone.
His eerie video captures abandoned an abandoned restaurant, an empty library and dilapidated hotels among other long vacated buildings. He explains in his clip: “The broken glass says it all.
“We’re able to capture a tiny glimpse of what life must have been like at Montserrat’s old capital, Plymouth, before the volcanic eruption. And even take a few peeks inside some of the dilapidated, post-apocalyptic abandoned structures.
“It’s hard not to picture yourself wondering through this dense, bustling and noisy population centre enjoying the sights, sounds and smells all around you.
“Some of the building ruins here include the Flora Fountain Hotel, a corporate office building, a police station, government headquarters, a bank, a general store and several abandoned churches and religious buildings.”
Plymouth is the only ghost town that is the capital of a political territory. The town of Brades has been Montserrat’s de facto capital since 1998 with a new capital at Little Bay currently under construction.
Nowadays it is possible to visit Plymouth, but it requires a guide authorised by the government to accompany tourists for a strictly monitored visit to the exclusion zone.
Speaking almost 10 years later, the island’s then-premier, Donaldson Romeo, said Montserrat has “learned to live with the volcano”.
He told the Guardian: “Before the volcano, we were standing on our own two feet. Here we are 20 years later, with lots of money spent, but we don’t have the programs that will assist us in achieving (self-sufficiency).”
In 2015, a regional cruise line began making regular stops at Montserrat. Local drivers and tour operators would congregate at the island’s tiny port, hoping to cash in on curious tourists looking to visit Plymouth.
Licensed drivers secured permission from the government to take visitors to see the ruins of what has been called the ‘Caribbean Pompeii’.
The volcano last erupted in 2013 but it is still one of the most closely monitored volcanoes in the world.