The devastated city of St. Pierre lies in ruins after a catastrophic eruption on 8 May 1902, in which pyroclastic flows and surges swept over the city, killing 28,000 people. The high-temperature pyroclastic surges devastated a 58 km² area SW of the volcano and swept out to sea, capsizing all but two ships in the harbor. This March 1903 photo from the south shows Mount Pelee towering over the remnants of the city, capped by a dramatic lava spine that grew above the summit lava dome.

Photo by A. Lacroix, 1903 (from the collection of Maurice and Katia Krafft).

Copyrighted image used with permission. All Rights Reserved. Contact photographer for any usage requests.

Pelée