The volcano is currently active. A few
volcano tectonic earthquakes occur on Martinique every year, and Mount Pelée is under continuous watch by
geophysicists and
volcanologists (
IPGP). Before the 1902 eruption—as early as the summer of 1900—signs of increased
fumarole activity were present in the Étang Sec crater. Relatively minor
phreatic (steam) eruptions that occurred in 1792 and 1851 were evidence that the volcano was active. Signs of unrest are likely to precede any future eruptive activity from Mount Pelée, and its past activity (including the violent eruptions uncovered by
carbon dating) is an extremely important factor for
hazard assessment. The city of
Saint-Pierre was never fully rebuilt, though some villages grew up in its place. The estimated population of the Commune of Saint-Pierre in 2017 was 4,123. On 6 December 2020, The Martinique Volcano Observatory (MVO) raised Mount Pelee's alert level to Yellow [Restless] from Green [Normal] due to an increase in seismicity under the volcano beginning in April 2019, and observations of tremors the previous month. As far as was known, this was the first sign of activity since the end of the 1929–1932 eruption. This volcano is, of course, highly dangerous, and great vigilance of its activity is required. Whether or not it is going to enter a new eruptive period is currently unknown. According to the MVO press release: The increase in seismicity of superficial volcanic origin (up to below the summit) observed since April 2019, is therefore clearly above the base level characteristic for Mount Pelée. In April 2019, volcanic seismicity appeared at depth around and under Mount Pelée (more than below sea level). It could correspond to the arrival at depth of magmatic fluids. Finally, new recorded tremor-type signals were observed on November 8 and 9, 2020: they could correspond to a reactivation of the hydrothermal system. Even if, in the current state of measurements, there is no
deformation of the volcano on the scale of the observation network, the appearance, in a few months, of these three different types of seismic signals of volcanic origin shows a clear change in the behavior of the volcanic system, the activity of which is increasing from the base level observed over several decades. On May 13, 2025, Observatoire Volcanologique et Sismologique de la Martinique (OVSM) reported that between May 2 and May 9, 2025, 256 earthquakes had occurred. During the month of May, it was reported that 632 earthquakes had occurred. There are no signs of deformation or changes in gas chemistry. These earthquakes are interpreted as magma movement at depth, but not a sign of an impending eruption in the near future. ==Biology==