- SNIP -
Thousands Flee New Indian Ocean Eruption
18-Apr-2005
Agence France-Presse -
Comoros Islands
MORONI, April 18 (AFP) - Thousands of villagers living near the Mount Karthala volcano on the main island of Grand Comore in the Indian Ocean Comoros archipelago have fled their homes after it erupted, officials said Monday. "Almost 10,000 people have left their houses since Sunday" when the volcano erupted, Dini Nassuri, spokesman for the island's government, told Agence France-Presse.
Villagers who had fled in panic from their homes in the shadow of the 2,361-meter (7,746-foot) volcano stayed away from their homes but calm had largely returned to the area by late morning, officials and witnesses said.
Two vulcanologists from the Saint Denis University on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion are due to arrive Tuesday to evaluate the situation following the eruption, the volcano observatory on Reunion said.
They will fly over Mount Karthala and take samples of ash from the lava lake that has formed, observatory director Philippe Kovalski said.
White ash from the volcano blanketed parts of Grand Comore Monday, causing respiratory problems for residents who sought out masks to protect themselves from the debris.
But officials said there was no imminent threat from lava from the eruption and that there was little risk of the volcano emitting toxic gas as had been initially feared.
Sunday's eruption followed recent signs of increased seismic activity around Mount Karthala that were first reported in late March by experts at the Comoros National Center for Documentation and Scientific Research (CNDRS).
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