[7] Beginning on 18 July 1995, a series of huge eruptions at the Soufrière Hills volcano, which had been inactive for centuries, sent ash falls across a wide area of southern Montserrat including the capital, Plymouth.

[8] On 27 March 1996, a series of hot ash emissions and pyroclastic flows began,[9] marking the most dangerous period for the volcano up to that point.

[10] The island was divided into risk zones; during some periods, entry into Plymouth was prohibited,[11] and at other times, it was allowed during daytime only to those with a means of rapid escape.

[12] The last time that access was legally allowed to Plymouth during daytime was 16 June 1997, with the exception of essential services.

[15][16] Between 4–8 August 1997, a further series of large eruptions destroyed approximately 80% of the town, burying it under 1.4 metres (4.6 ft) of ash.

It was anticipated that the soil underneath the hardened mud and lava would have been scorched and left completely non-arable by the intense heat of the pyroclastic flows.

The entire southern half of the island was declared an exclusion zone because of the continuing volcanic activity at the Soufrière Hills.

The government of the island was moved north to the town of Brades, although Plymouth remains the de jure capital.

Daytime access to Plymouth has been permitted for some activities since about 2015, including sand and gravel extraction for construction projects.