VOLCANO DOME COLLAPSES.(in Montserrat)(Brief Article)

0 Comments | Caribbean Update, August, 2003

Explosions rocked Montserrat's volcano, spewing thick clouds of ash into the air after heavy rainfall caused part of the volcano's dome to collapse, reports AP (July 13, 2003). Tree branches were snapped off from the weight of the ash and significant damage was done to surrounding vegetation, said Richard Herd, director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. The Soufriere Hills volcano sprang to life in 1995, chasing away more than half the British Caribbean island's population. An eruption in 1997 buried much of the south, including the capital, Plymouth, and killed 19 people. The peak still casts a reddish-orange glow at night. Scientists monitor it and report any changes to the island's 4,500 residents, who live in northern areas declared safe. Once a bustling island...