Soufriere Hills volcano active again

Scientists monitoring the Soufriere Hills Volcano in Montserrat say a recent increase in activity has resulted in a large lava dome that is growing quickly.



Director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory Paul Cole said pyroclastic flows of hot rock, ash, and gas continue to travel down the northern flanks of the volcano, in some instances as far as two kilometres or 1.25 miles.



A pyroclastic flow early yesterday morning set fires to trees and other vegetation in abandoned areas to the immediate north of the volcano, with large boulders also hurled into the area.



Just over a week ago, the volcano began spewing ash as high as three kilometres into the air after a 10-month period of relative inactivity.



However, life in the occupied safe zone in the northern part of the island has not been affected, with only light dusting of ash in some communities closest to the volcano.



Since the Soufriere Hills roared to life 14 years ago, more than half of the island’s residents migrated overseas, mainly to the United Kingdom, the United States, and to neighbouring Caribbean islands.