(12 Aug 1997) Natural Sound

All but about four-thousand of Montserrat's 11-thousand residents have left due to intense activity from the Soufriere Hills Volcano.

The volcano - which has been active since July 1995 - increased its activity during the past three months.

Small explosions from the volcano have highlighted its unpredictability and Montserrat's volcano observatory says further explosions can occur in the future.

It warned these may be more intense and longer lived than those already experienced.

Montserrat's capital Plymouth is virtually deserted as the Soufriere Hills Volcano continues to rumble and spew ash and lava.

Small explosions have been taking place in 10 to 12 hour intervals.

The ash has now covered the central part of the 11-mile-wide (18-kilometre-wide) island, including west-central villages where half of the remaining four-thousand residents live.

The capital Plymouth has been abandoned and the town of Salem is turning into as ghost town as well.

The northern part of the island - about one third of the land mass - is largely protected from lava flows.

However authorities fear the potentially toxic fallout could prove lethal to residents - making evacuations necessary there too.

The Soufriere Hills volcano came to life on June 25 - after two years of inactivity.

Experts are expecting still more and stronger eruptions.

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