The volcano at the very end of Europe
Vulcão dos Capelinhos and the ruined lighthouse. Located in the mid-Atlantic, on the western side of Faial island in the Azores (Portugal), the volcano last erupted in 1957-1958 for 13 months in a row. The natural catastrophe started with a submarine eruption and then involved lava bombs, pyroclastic clouds as well as lava streaming into the ocean. Although there were no casualties, thousands of people had to leave their homes. In 1958, the United States of America helped through the so called Azorean Refugee Act, by authorising the emigration of 1500 people. Among the Congressmen sponsoring the act was a young Senator of Massachusetts named John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The first floor of the lighthouse is still completely buried in ashes and sand. Considering that Flores (the westernmost island of the Azorean archipelago) lies within the North American plate, the volcano of Capelinhos can be considered the westernmost point of Europe.
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