OLVESTON, Montserrat - The volcano that destroyed Montserrat's capital in
1997 shot a cloud of ash more than five miles into the sky on Monday, and one of
the island's chief scientists said the blast was "a warning call."
A cloud of superheated ash and gas flows from the Soufriere
Hills volcano, as seen from Olveston, Montserrat, Monday, Jan. 8, 2007.
[AP]
|
The government has advised about 50 families on the northwestern side of the
volcano's base that their homes were at risk from flows of blistering gas and
debris if the dome collapses. Gov. Deborah Barnes Jones said she would sign an
evacuation order Monday making it illegal for people to remain in the area.
The blast, accompanied by increased seismic rumbling, released gases and
steam from inside a lava dome that has grown rapidly over the last week, said
Dr. Vicky Hards, director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.
"I think it was a warning call ... of what it can do," Hards said.
The explosion around sunrise also sent a flow of volcanic material cascading
two miles down the northwest flank, but did not immediately threaten any of the
British Caribbean island's 5,000 inhabitants, Hards said. Sirens alerted people
to listen to the radio for updates.
"People in the affected area know who they are and should work urgently on
packing up and arranging for alternative accommodations," Barnes Jones said in a
radio address.
Only "a handful" of residents were believed to still be living in the
threatened area, said Mark Twigg, head of the governor's office.
"This causes genuine hardship for people who have to leave, and this is taken
lightly by nobody," he said.
The volcano's latest burst of activity began on Dec. 24. Glowing streaks of
red from the pyroclastic flows have created nighttime spectacles visible across
much of the island. The volcano's rising dome remained in place after Monday's
explosion, raising fears of a bigger event soon.
The Soufriere Hills volcano became active in 1995, and more than half the
territory's 12,000 inhabitants moved away. An eruption in 1997 buried much of
the south, including the capital of Plymouth, and killed 19 people.
Since then, the mountainous, teardrop-shaped island has gone on a building
binge. A new city center is planned for Little Bay, the future capital, in
northwest Montserrat. The island has a new airport to replace the one that was
engulfed by lava flows and a 700-seat concert hall. A new parliament, courthouse
and cricket field are planned.