Question

Why did geologist Edmund Hovey travel to the Caribbean in May 1902?

Answer 1

Mr. Edmund Otis Hovey was an American geologist and was highly specialized in the field of earthquakes, meteorites, and volcanoes. In May 1902, he traveled to the Caribbean in order to explore the violent volcanic eruptions that had killed approximately 25000 to 30,000 people within the first 24 hours.

The destruction caused by these eruptions were very immense and the photographs that were taken could not explain how devastating it was. The eruption that has taken place in that year was similar to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that occurred in 79 AD, as a result of nearly 20,000 peoples were killed in the town of Pompeii. He collected some samples of rocks formed from that lava.

Answer 2

On May 14, 1902, geologist Edmund Otis Hovey boarded the U.S. ship Dixie, headed for the Caribbean.

His main purpose was to research about volcanic eruptions that had killed nearly 30,000 people in less than 24 hours in the week before. The eruptions from the volcanoes Mt. Soufrière, on the island of St. Vincent and Mt. Pelée on Martinique spread widespread devastation, burning everything that came in the way of the hot lava.