Montserrat, Island Partially Abandoned After Volcano Eruption, Is Slowly Being Consumed By Nature

This Island Paradise Is Slowly Being Consumed By Nature

Human activities can alter the face of the planet in just a few short years, but it comes as a bit of a surprise when nature decides to reclaim itself even faster.

Take the island of Monserrat. The caribbean destination was once home to 12,000 people before a dormant volcano spewed up to 20-feet of ash over the capital in 1995, forcing two-thirds of its residents to flee. No one was injured and a few residents returned to their homes on the island, but another eruption in 1997 killed 19 people.

Today, half of the island is abandoned and some of the buildings are still partially buried.

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Photo credit: Flickr/Nick Brooks

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Photo credit: Flickr/Christine Warner Hawks

The island's airport reopened in 2005 after it was destroyed a decade earlier, and the still-active volcano and ruined town have turned into quite the tourist destination.

Take a look at some more photos of the eerie ghost town below.

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Photo credit: Flickr/Nick Brooks

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Photo credit: Flickr/Dr. Warner

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Photo credit: Flickr/Nick Brooks

(h/t Slate)

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