PLYMOUTH, Montserrat (CMC):
RESIDENTS OF Montserrat were warned to stay indoors on Saturday as the Soufriere Hills Volcano belched ash and gas into the air, sparking fears of another major eruption.
According to information from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO), a dome collapsed about 6:20 a.m. on Saturday, sending pyroclastic flows (superheated ash and rocks) into the sea near Tar River Valley, Trants and Spanish Point. These areas are located in the eastern side of the island but they remain vacant after the evacuation of residents in 1995, following a major eruption of the volcano.
The volcanic activity, however, has left several areas in the western section of the tiny Caribbean island covered in two to three inches of ash and pebbles. Emergency officials were, up to early afternoon, making assessments about how to clear roads and assist residents in removing the debris from pathways and driveways.
RESIDENTS WARNED
Saturday's release from the MVO also advised residents to stay indoors and to listen out for further bulletins about developments regarding the volcano. According to officials at the MVO, the activity at the volcano could increase during the course of the day.
The 3,000-foot volcano roared to life on July 18, 1995, after eons of inactivity.
This led to a massive evacuation of the British dependency, with thousands leaving the island for the mother country.
Over the past decade the 9,000 residents have sought to put their lives back together and have been looking forward to parliamentary elections set for May 31.
