Tristan da Cunha is an active volcano
The Tristan Island Council is developing a Disaster Management Plan
in association with UK-based PhD Geologist Anna Hicks
We will publish here reports of how the plan is developing as the community faces up to the reality of living at risk of further earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the isolation of the South Atlantic Ocean
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Evacuation Drill
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Monday 21st February 2011 |
The 1961 Evacuation of Tristan da Cunha
On Monday 9th October 1961 the entire community of Tristan da Cunha was evacuated to the Potato Patches
following the start of a volcanic eruption between the old fishing factory and the Settlement.
There was not room for everybody in the small huts at the Patches and only one vehicle (an old tractor) to help in the evacuation.
On Tuesday 10th October 1961 264 Islanders and 26 expatriates were ferried off their island to the fishing vessels Tristania and Frances Repetto to spend the night on Nightingale Island, again huddled in inadequate huts.
On 11th October 1961 the Dutch liner Tjisadane (luckily arriving that day to collect 6 passengers from the island), carrying 20 passengers, but with room for 400, loaded all aboard for a journey to Cape Town where they arrived on 16th October.
On reaching Cape Town
, Islanders boarded MV Stirling Castle , the ship departing on 20th October and on 3rd November 1961 Stirling Castle arrived in Southampton to begin what proved to be an exile of less than two years. |
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2011 Evacuation Drill |
Administrator Sean Burns rings the gong
to herald the Evacuation drill
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The 1961 evacuation was heralded by Administrator Peter Wheeler who rang the gong on Monday 9th October.
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Sean briefs Islanders outside the Prince Philip Hall - Peter Wheeler announced the initial phase of the 1961 evacuation inside the Prince Philip Hall ~
Photo : Anna Hicks |
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Traffic Jam as vehicles wait for checking
at Hottentot Gulch Gate.
Photo: Anna Hicks
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Marina Burns, Leon Glass and Anna Hicks check outgoing Islanders
Photo: Sean Burns
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Anna Hicks and Leon Glass check names
at Hottentot Gulch Gate
Photo: Sean Burns
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In 1961 the 264 Islanders and 26 expatriates walked to The Patches
with hurriedly packed bags into a darkening dusk and accompanied
by drizzle. |
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Everybody gathered on the Patches Plain
Photo: Anna Hicks
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Surprise, Surprise!
Many modern occurrences
are unexpected,
but, to many who visited
Tristan da Cunha years ago,
or have read about it
in books,
the site of a traffic jam
on the Island's only road,
is perhaps
most unexpected! |
Like the October 1961 evacuation, the 2011 evacuation drill was on a wet day.
Photo: Sean Burns |
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Traffic heading back to the village
after a successful drill
Photo: Sean Burns
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We will feature a full report
of the 2011 Evacuation Drill and an update on the Disaster Management Plan
in the August 2011 Newsletter
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Bring up the rear in his police Land-Rover is Inspector Conrad Glass MBE
Photo: Sean Burns
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