Montserrat’s Volcano Gurgles But Flights Back To Normal

OLVESTON, Montserrat (AP) - Ash blanketed cars and buildings across the Caribbean on Monday as Montserrat’s volcano continued to gurgle, shaking the British island with minor explosions.

Although scientists warned of more explosions on Monday, flights that had been canceled Sunday were back to normal, and there was no immediate danger to islanders, said Lars Ottemoller, a seismologist at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.

The dome of the Soufriere Hills volcano collapsed Saturday, spewing clouds of ash and plunging islands into a gritty haze. On Monday, distant islands like U.S. territory of Puerto Rico were covered in ash.

Emergency officials in Montserrat were meeting Monday to discuss downed power and telephone lines affecting some sections of the island, and mud-covered roads, Ottemoller said. Some were still without water.

The Soufriere Hills volcano sprang to life in 1995, chasing away more than half the British Caribbean island’s population. An eruption in 1997 killed 19 people and buried the capital of Plymouth.

Today, 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.