Where is Cape Verde Volcano

The Cape Verde Islands lie 500-800km west of Africa’s continental margin, in a mantle plume. Fogo volcano (2829 m) is the only active volcano within this archipelago which also includes Boa Vista and Maio.

Volcanic hazards on Fogo Island include rockfalls, lava flows and effusive eruptions. But perhaps most dangerously for local populations is drought – in 2014 Fogo experienced 65% less rain than 2013 due to severe drought which resulted in many deaths among its residents.

Lava flows on Fogo are a threat to buildings, infrastructure and agriculture as they can quickly engulf and destroy these structures. During the 2014-2015 eruption of Fogo, fast-moving lava flows engulfed 75% (n = 265) of buildings within three villages in Cha das Caldeiras area as well as 25% of cultivable agricultural land and water storage facilities.

Building types affected by Fogo’s 2014-2015 eruption included cooperative buildings for crab apple and quince jam production as well as small scale winemaking facilities that were mostly destroyed. The loss of these community-based activities has had a devastating effect on future livelihoods.

Cha das Caldeiras’ community will bear the brunt of any economic losses, as they rely heavily on remittances from family members living abroad and export of locally grown fruits and vegetables for sustenance.

Lava flow impact in Cha das Caldeiras has drastically shifted the potential future agricultural production for local communities of Cha, which is currently dependent on food crops sold at Sao Filipe market. This will further compound the economic effects of 2014-2015 eruption.