What are some preventions or something to lessen the effect to stop a volcano to erupt? or to minimise its impact?

Jana

There really isn't any way to prevent a volcano from erupting. The forces involved are too big and complex for us to understand or fight. That means that to minimize the damage what we need to do is try and predict when a volcano will erupt, and what and where the effects will be. The best plan of action is still to just evacuate the areas that you think will be affected (plus some more area as a buffer), and wait for the eruption to run its course. This is difficult to do politically, especially if it is an eruption that goes on and on in a small way for a long time. The people get restless and want to go home, make a living, etc. Much of the southern half of Montserrat, for example, has been evacuated for the past 2 years, and you can imagine the frustration involved. The eruption there seems to be getting more active, however, and unfortunately it killed some people a couple months ago. These folks had violated the exclusion zone to tend to their homes and farms, and they were caught by a pyroclastic flow.

Sincerely,
Scott Rowland

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