Montserrat's long-rumbling volcano spews ash

MIAMI, May 22: Many Caribbean flights were canceled after a long-rumbling volcano on the British Caribbean territory of Montserrat belched a dense plume of ash into the sky at the weekend, officials said today.

Sue Loughlin, director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, said a large dome of hard lava that had gathered at the top of the volcano collapsed in an explosion on Saturday, in what she called a ''fairly serious event.'' Ash initially rose to 60,000 feet, she said.

Venezuela's National Institute of Civil Aviation said some weekend flights by Venezuelan airlines Aeropostal, Santa Barbara and Aserca and also some flights by American Airlines were canceled as a result of the cloud.

The agency, said the cloud had affected aircraft routes from 5,000 feet to 55,000 feet.

No injuries were reported on Montserrat, Loughlin said but added that residents had to contend with a one-inch (2.5 cm) thick layer of ash across some parts of the island.

''There will be an all clear probably quite soon from the authorities here but the eruption of the volcano continues,'' she said.

She said the volcano had been in the process of erupting for 10 years. ''Generally, getting rid of the dome is a good thing because the dome was getting very large,'' said Loughlin.

''If it had gotten much bigger it would have been a significant threat to populated parts of Montserrat.''

REUTERS