July 4 - Eruptions Soufriere Hill, Montserrat

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MONTSERRAT-NATURAL DISASTER: HUNDREDS FLEE AS ... OTC 04/07/97 02:08 PORT OF SPAIN, (Jul. 2) IPS - Officials on the tiny British Caribbean island colony of Montserrat are keeping an eye on a steady stream of departures from the country since the introduction of a regularly scheduled sea ferry service between the island and neighboring Antigua. Such a service became necessary following last week's eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, which has so far claimed nine lives and left another 12 persons missing. The island's only airport has been closed indefinitely and residents estimate it might be a long time before scheduled commercial flights are permitted to use the facility. The island's small population, just under 12,000 before the first eruption two years ago, has now shrunk to under 5,500 and calculations are currently being undertaken to estimate the population size below which it would be unfeasible to continue maintaining a supply of utility services. Montserrat's main power supply emanates from a facility in its capital of Plymouth, now classified among the "extremely dangerous" areas. A standby plant in the "safe" north cannot supply a 24 hour service and was meant to be a temporary substitute only. The country's current water supply is drawn from a number of reservoirs in the north and has, so far, been relatively reliable. But there has been a steady flow of Montserratians out of the island since the introduction of the ferry service on June 29. The single vessel servicing the route accommodates 100. It has been arriving empty and leaving full every afternoon. "People who thought they would bide their time until it was all over have now seen their houses completely destroyed," one resident told IPS. "Now, there is a feeling that they have nothing to wait on." In a remarkable development today, there was talk of persons entering the danger zones where the shells of their houses stood and deliberately finishing the job with fuel and torches. Many Montserratians evacuated to the "safe" north have been living in temporary shelters. Churches, schools, and other public buildings have been converted to makeshift communal dwellings, a situation many social activists have described as dragging on for too long. "They only put up with these things because they always harbored the hope that someday they would return to their real homes," American expatriate Clover Lea says. Now there is very little prospect of a return for many. More than 300 houses have been completely destroyed by 1,000 degree pyroclastic flows that came down the barren mountainside at over 300 kilometers per hour. Farms, homesteads, business places, and spanking new residential buildings will never be used again. The latest reports from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) notes a slow but steady stream of pyroclastic flow down the island's Gages Valley in the direction of the capital city of Plymouth. Houses in Windy Hill, Gages Valley and Harris were still burning yesterday, and burning vegetation in Spring Ghaut and Upper Amersham produced a thick haze over southern portions of the island. A large ash cloud, 10,000 meters high, drifted to western and northern areas on June 30 following an intensification of volcanic activity. Throughout the day, there were 77 rockfall signals, 110 hybrid, and 27 volcano-tectonic earthquakes recorded by the MVO. Mud flows threatened western and eastern areas and few ventured close enough to witness what had become of their villages and communities. The island's last remaining industry, a rice mill owned and operated by the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies has been closed, and now, apart from aid from Britain, the island is generating no income of its own. One resident told IPS the flow of emigrants coincided with the payment of month-end salaries. In an address to the nation following last week's incident, Chief Minister Bertrand Osborne said the government was not "activating an off-island evacuation at this time." "The government continues to support plans for the development of the northern part of Montserrat," Osborne said. "We believe that if the people of Montserrat continue to work steadfastly together, we can and will make northern Montserrat a place we can be proud of, and where our families can live and our friends can continue to visit us." Under a 10-month old arrangement, Montserratians are entitled to enter the United Kingdom. But Montserrat politicians have expressed a concern that the arrangement does not include full nationality rights. There is however a feeling that an offer from the United States or Canada would be quickly taken up. Dominica, Antigua, and St. Kitts already currently serve as main destinations for departing Montserratians. Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders meeting in Jamaica this week are exploring ways the Commonwealth Caribbean can play a greater role in easing the burden of their Montserratian neighbors. Copyright 1997 . . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dear Group, First let me apologize for the information on Prime Time Lives program for Wednesday. There was a plan for an update on the story they have been covering since 1995, but because of the complete coverage by Dateline, they dumped the idea. Myself, I think they should have gone ahead, but those in charge decided against it. Whatever you do, don't miss Sunday nights National Geographic Explorer. I think they will really have the coverage you've all been waiting for. As far as what's going on here................ I have made quite a few flights over the devastated area and it still takes my breath away. I will try to give some details for the many folks out there who still have no idea of the awesomness of the destruction. As you fly through what is now called, "the corridor", from west to east, you are struck by the vastness of the, "moon like", landscape. From the mountain and the barren peaks of Farrels on your right, to the remains of the village of Windy Hill on your left, there is nothing but a gray/white plain. Farrels Estate is nothing but rubble and all that really stands out, is the remains of the giant smokestack that has now been reduced to a stub about 6 to 10 feet high. As you look back to the north, you can't help noticing that the old metal water tank that laid near to the main road across from the road that went up to the onion shed at Farrels, has been literally blown up Windy Hill a 100 meters or so. The surge rushed up Windy Hill and lapped over the top and into the next valley although the houses that sit on the level section of road that heads north toward Center Hills are all intact. The big blue water tank that supplied this area and sits on top of the hill is scorched on the side towards the volcano. It sends shivers up my spine to see it since I shot video footage from that location the day before and noticed the people working in the fields quite close to Mosquito Ghaut. I actually zoomed in on them and then panned up to a small pyroclastic flow that was in the very top of the ghaut. No one was even bothering to look up at it. My plan had been to jump in the tank if it came to that. I believe I would have survived since I also had a full fire suit and self-contained breathing apparatus with me. You may survive on the edge of a flow like that, but what kills you is breathing superheated air. Having spent a number of years on the fire department rescue squad in a major city, I have seen the results of this. You may be alive, and look OK, but your lungs no longer function. The only other thing I have seen like it, is someone with a heavy asthma attack that just can't get their breath. As you fly over Mandys gas station, you notice that only the little block building remains. The rest is flat. Moving on around the big bend into Harris's your struck by the clear line of destruction that separates the lower part of the village from the higher areas. The fire came half way across the cricket field. half is ash white, half is green.The road that leads down out of Harris's crossroads is fine, but everything on the narrow one way road that comes up into the village is gone. The walls of the big Anglican church in the center of town are still there, but the place is gutted and the grave yard looks like a strangely stark black and white photo. The police station survived and most everything above it. All of lookout is OK for the time being and my dear friend Ellen Thomas who just had her 90th birthday and lives just below Mr. Rodney, lived to tell the story. You may ask, why was she still there? Well, many of us tried to reason with her. I finally gave up when she said, "David, if you were 90 years old, you wouldn't leave either. I grew up here and lived my whole life here. If I'm to die, I will die here". I still haven't seen her, but they tell me they finally talked her into getting in the helicopter. Can you imagine spending 90 years in Harris's and then being told you had to get into this noisy flying thing that's blowing ash everywhere!!! The last time I saw her, I told her that if something REALLY BIG happened that she was to dump her pail of water on her bed spread and get down by her bed and put it over her and try to breath through a wet wash cloth. I can't wait to see her and find out what she did. I spent a lot of time there and met some wonderful people who all had their reasons for being in Lookout. This is getting a bit long but I feel there are a number of folks out there that want more details on what's going on. There were around 100 thank yous the last time I sent out a long description of what happened, Sooooooooooooo......... Once you leave Harris's flying towards the airport your mind begins to tell you this can't be possible. The road down to the bridge is buried under many feet of flow material and the whole landscape is just another big delta, only on land. The first surge came right down the river bed. The second surge spread to the North and South after it came out into the flat land and just leveled everything in it's path. There is one house remaining that is built a little way up the hill. It's front gallery is now level with this dirty snow like landscape, that stretches all the way south past the Bethel Church. The tongue of the flow took out the checkpoint at the T at the turn in to the airport and reaches about 1/4 the way down to the front entrance. I think the most amazing thing that I saw today was Louie Kulpeks house. That's the gentleman who insisted on staying in Spanish Point and had just finished putting a complete cement roof on his house. That may be what saved him, and his wife and child. We were shooting some shots of the Bethel church which lays in ruins, and I happened to look over at Louie's house across the road. The front and sides of the house are completely covered in pyroclastic flow material. As you come over to the back yard and beyond, It is absolutely green and beautiful! The flow seemed to of some how hit his house and then run on down both sides for another quarter mile or so. He said that a flash fire came in through the kitchen door and managed to burn the hands and one foot of his little girl. They are God fearing people and when you look at the whole thing from above, it looks like someone WAS watching over them in spite of their ignorance of the incredible danger they were in. I couldn't see much remaining of Brambles village and the Northwest corner of upper Tuitts, where you turn to head north into Tuitts village. The only other thing that stands out is the size of the boulders that came all the way down from the dome. Some of them have to be at least as big as a big dump truck. When you look at them you can't imagine how they could have gotten there! What size were they as they were coming down???? If you have seen The Price of Paradise 3, you may notice that they are brilliant red with fire and that they break into smaller and smaller pieces as they roll. These came over three kilometers down the valley and they were still gigantic! We then flew around to the South via Tar River and Galways. They are absolutely quiet with just a few white fumerals steaming lazily here and there. As you come around the mountain, town reveals itself below you and it also looks like a black and white post card. No more colorful Caribbean scenes here. Just shades of gray. We saw a few men working on the pier, bravely trying to rescue the many goods that were stranded in port. Thank God some one has taken the initiative to get the job done. I myself have a lot of hydroponic supplies in customs and was very concerned until a business friend of mine said, "I have about $70,000. worth of goods over there right now"! Whew! The flows in Ft. Ghaut have overflowed the ghaut at the base of St. Georges hill, near to Sandy Bottom. The main road just disappears into the flows there. The town is deep in ash and seems to be just falling apart. Sad but true. one of the surges hit the front of St. Georges Hill and ran up the side almost to the top, just below Percy and Pam Arthertons house. I really couldn't tell where the flows end, but I'm sure they go as far as Lovers Lane and I have heard that they reach as far down as the hospital road. I hope that this report is not as depressing as it feels to me, but I think the story has to be told. The world is finally getting wind of our situation and I trust that maybe we can get some real serious help in here. The south of our island is a disaster area. Most of the North is as beautiful as ever. As we flew back towards St. Peters, everyone in the chopper mentioned how lush and beautiful our island still is. What an unusual situation we find ourselves in..................it's worth looking up dichotomy in the dictionary. God Bless you all, David Lea PS I am trying to keep an archive of all of the newspaper articles and headlines, magazines, TV programs etc. If any of you could PLEASE get an extra copy of anything you see and send it to me, I would be forever grateful. This will be kept in Montserrrat for those generations to come. I think that this is a very important record that needs to be kept. I will be happy to reimburse whatever the costs may be. No need to worry about the major stateside TV stuff since I get that, but the regional things would help a lot. Thanks a million. David Lea Box 246 Plymouth, Montserrat British West Indies . . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

June 26 - Eruptions Soufriere Hill, Montserrat

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hi to all-
I, like all of you, will look forward to Candia's formal report of the Governor and CM's press conference held at 8pm tonight, but I wanted to give you what I heard.

Governor Savage reported that this has been "the worst day since the volcano started." So far there has been no reports of serious injuries, however 4 persons were admitted to the hospital with minor, non life threatening injuries, primarily burns. The Royal Dutch Navy has provided a second helicopter and the two helicopters have rescued 30 persons from the area, including 20 from Harris. 17 persons remain unacccouted for at this time...
Cork Hill remains safe and contrary to earlier reports there was no hot ash in the area. However a surge associated with the flow did reach Dyers..

According to Chief Minister Osborne, the Trant's area is "very bad" as well as serious damage to Farms, Bethel, Tuitts, Lower Harris and parts of Spanish Pointe. Mr. Osborne reported that the Methodist Church in Bethel has been "severely damaged." He also reported that Harris can only be reached right now by helicopter...

Tomorrow morning, a French medical helicopter will arrive on island for further aid. ZJB will remain on all night, not due to anticipated aditional volcanic activity but as a comfort for those who wish to listen. Though Cork Hill remains safe, the CM invited any in Cork Hill who remain fearful to move to the Brades SChool for the night. Transportation will be provided...

That's what I heard. We will look forward to Candia's printed report.

DD . . .

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Montserrat Volcano Observatory
Montserrat, W.I.
Report for the period 4 pm 24 June to 4 pm 25 June 1997

The alert level is Orange.

There was serious pyroclastic flow activity on the northern side of the volcano this afternoon, with pyroclastic flows in Mosquito Ghaut, Paradise River, Farms River almost to the sea beside WH Bramble Airport.

An intense swarm of hybrid earthquakes began at 11 am, and rapidly escalated to repetitive events which merged into continuous tremor after 12:15 pm. At about 1 pm major pyroclastic flow activity began in Mosquito Ghaut, which generated an ash cloud to over 30,000 ft within minutes. The flow travelled into Farms River to Trants Bridge. Down river of Bramble the flows fanned out into Bethel and Spanish Point almost to the sea. On the northern side Farms and Trants villages were affected, and the surge reached to Trants bridge. A total of at least 2 square kilometers of land was covered by the pyroclastic flow and surge.

The lower half of Harris village village was also impacted, and an ash surge travelled from the Farrell's area down to the west at least as far as Dyers, and into the upper reaches of Dyer's Ghaut. There was no activity in the Gages valley during the afternoon.

The seismic activity had declined by 3 pm, and the volcano has been quiet since that time, with a few rockfalls and hybrid earthquakes.

This afternoon's pyroclastic flows followed a period of escalating activity during the previous 24 hours, with three periods of intense earthquake activity which merged into volcanic tremor, and were accompanied by rythmic inflation and deflation of the mountain detected by the tiltmeter on Chances Peak. Since the end of the activity this afternoon, the tiltmeter has shown signs of inflation again, and further activity could occur within a few hours.

This makes the entire central corridor and the eastern side of the volcano very dangerous, and people should not enter the area. Rescue missions will be carried out by professional teams with helicopter support. The airport was successfully evacuated before the pyroclastic activity this afternoon, and remains closed at this time.

16:00, 25 June 1997 ??
. . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 1997 07:18:18 -0300
From: MVO
Montserrat Volcano Observatory
Montserrat, W.I.
Report for the period 4 pm 25 June to 7 am 26 June 1997

The alert level is Orange.

The level of activity remained low last night until about 4am this morning when another hybrid earthquake swarm began. Although less intense than previous swarms, several earthquakes in the swarm have been particularly large events and there have also been short periods of tremor.

The tiltmeters on Chances Peak showed a period of rapid inflation this morning which peaked at about 5.30am and is now showing an equally rapid deflation. Deflation is commonly accompanied by a pulse of pyroclastic flow and rockfall activity, this may occur within the next few hours.

There have been no observations of the volcano today due to low cloud.

The pyroclastic flow and surge deposits will remain extremely hot for several days . Residents must not approach, handle or attempt to walk on the deposits because of the risk of severe burning.

As a result of the moderate ashfall there is likely to be heavy resuspension of ash in the air today especially if it does not rain. Residents and workers are urged to wear a dust mask.

Further pyroclastic flow activity is expected, and the high level of activity means that these flows could happen at any time and may be of significant size. The current area of activity makes Mosquito Ghaut the most likely pathway, but further flows in Gages, Tuitt's or Tar River are probable as well. Access to Plymouth has been completely restricted as a temporary measure this morning. Zones A and B are extremely dangerous and nobody should go into these areas at all.

The airport is closed today and will remain closed until further notice.

07:00, 26 June 1997 . . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hello everyone

This morning I tried to go the norht road to check on S. P. The road block is now situated by Lookout and NO ONE is allowed access. I turned back and stopped at the Texaco station in St. John because I saw Louie Coulpec there. The Coulpecs took refuge in their bedroom until the flow had ceased. Mary received her burns because something like a heat flash came through the kitchen door and caught her before she had time to get to the bedroom.
They made their escape by walking straight down to the sea, across the beach and over the fence at the airport. Louie THINKS, so this is unconfirmed information, (he had a lot on his mind in escaping) that probably the Elrod property is gone because there was heavy burning in that area. His own place is burnt. He's not sure about my place or any north of me, Stafford's Camp's or Abbot's. The Barnes place survived but vegetation around is burnt. I would assume that the Granger property is the same. From other sources I've been told that Josh & Mary Mead's property is gone, the school in Bethel is gone and so is Nurse Dyers house.

The Methodist church was severly damaged. The Saunders property is o.k. as is Gab Parson's, the Adamus', the Barker's Farnsworth, and Wilkins. While talking to Louie Kevin West came along and he was on his way to try and get some pictures (although the official word is that NO ONE is allowed access because the ash will be hot for several days). Kevin said that he will go to Antigua tomorrow to get them developed, give me a call and I will look at them and be in a better position to report on damage.

My telephone number is 664-491-5348.
Latest reports are that 4 people were admitted to hospital with burns but non of them life threatening. 15 to 17 persons are still listed as missing.

Agnes Lempriere
. . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rose Willock and Athema Daley live report from Corkhill( ZJB 5.50pm ) ...The ghaut which the villagers here call Cool River, actuallly the upper part of the Belham River,... north of the Corkhill Primary School, there is a crowd closer to the Ghaut ... there are some houses here on the northern side of the school... and this is where we are standing and looking down into the Ghaut to see what was creating all of that attention. What we did see is a lot of ash pile up and a lot of dry wood.. and the villagers are telling us that whenever the wind blows they can see the red of the burning wood showing. We couldn't see the red of the wood burning, all we saw was the ash but the whole area is very very hazy...looking down to Water works is hazy with a blue haze. The villagers claim that there were two dogs that attempted to go dow into the ghaut where the hot ash is. One died from severe burns and and the other is very badly burnt. The villagers are still there but we just came next door to make that call (to ZJB) ..I hope that when scientists come on later will get update of what is happening here behind Corkhill

ZJB News Soufriere HiIl gave another demo of its destructive nature today in the early afternoon a large pyro flow travelled down Mosquito Ghaut causing considerabnle damage on the eastern side of the island. There are reports of burning houses and trees in several villages: Trants, Spanish Point, Brambles Village, Bethel, Farms and Harris'. The airport has been evacuated and closed but was not affected. The authorities also ordered the evecuation of the capital Plymouth. As a result several essential services were forced to close including the Port Authority and MNI Mill. There have been no confirmed reports of casualties up to news time. HE the Gov. says search and rescue teams have been sent out.

HE :the search and recue will center activities on the Farrels area on Harris' but for the moment I have some doubt as to whether they'll be able to get very close. There are a good no. of buildings burning. From above the airport we could see buildings exploding with gas cyliders going off there is a lot of smoke in the area and search and rescue are going to take their time to get there. Should there be people in Harris who are still there if it safe to do so get into gardens the helicopetr will be trying to make over passes try and wave some thing ...to give people an idea of your location. What the Chief Mininster and I do not want people to do we do not want people to be headiing back into the affected areas the evacuation procedures appear to have worked well, the siren system worked there will be a natural tendency for people to go back in to check property, for peolple reported missing. People reported missing may well have come out through another route so please do not go in because you will add to the problem you will get in the way of search and rescue.

The report continues: Chief Minister the Hon Bertrand Osborne is urging MNiers to remain calm, he says there is no immediate threat to areas such as Corkhill. However he says the situation looks pretty bad in the eastern side of the island. CM " from what has been seen by the helicopter there is some pretty bad damage in the area the road is certanily affected so no one can pas through Harris. At this moment houses in lower Harris are on fire, houses in Trant, parts of Spanish Point, in Farms are on fire. lower Bramble village. However it isn't the whole island. Those of you in Corkhill you can stay. There's no immediate threat to you there. Those of you in Plymouth we adviose you to come out if you are still there. Because although we don't expect another event very soon from now we never know. In a few hours time it may start again. So remain calm do not try to go back into the affected area...we are a bit worried about persons who may have been in Farrels and Rileys as well. we also heard there might be some damage even up in Streatham. but please those of you who are out do not try to go back in to look for relatives or friends. If there is anyone missing the search and rescue teams will be out very soon as soon as they can get out onto the road, as soon as it is cool enough, to get past the ash and the hot stuff that is on the road .... we are trying to get another helicopter..every thing is being done to help those who are still there so that if there are any casualties or any one is injured to get them out as quickly as possible.

Later report 9.00pm (broacasted earlier) CM Methodist Church at Bethel severly damaged, 2-3 in hospital with burns a number of persons missing. Request for all persons who went into area today to call ESU Corkhill scientists think still safe, anyone who would feel better in Brades call ESU and transport will be sent to take them to Brades school. 2 helicopters on island. House to house search tomorrow am. Assistance from Dutch Navy helicopter and another from Barbados by 10am tomorrow. Scientists think that volcano may go into another lull but still a lot of material up there so think a lot more to come. Airport assessment first thing tomorrow. LIAT will be advised as to when they can fly in.

HE Gov. summary of casualties 17 persons reported missing 4 patients to hospital, no deaths reported, 20 people taken out of Harris by helipcopter fields near airport burnt.

ZJB will be on all night tonight. All for now Candia

. . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

June 27, Eruptions on Montserrat - Victims found

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 1997 07:35:41 -0300
Montserrat Volcano Observatory
Montserrat, W.I.
Report for the period 4 pm 26 June to 7 am 27 June 1997

The alert level is Orange.

Between 6pm and 7.30pm yesterday evening there was a swarm of mainly small hybrid earthquakes followed by some low level tremor. The level of activity was then low until about 1am when another swarm began. This was less intense than the earlier swarm and lasted until about 3am. Since then the level of seismic activity has again been low with occasional rockfall signals. The level of activity is expected to rise again in the next few hours.

The tiltmeters on Chances Peak have shown a further cycle of inflation and deflation overnight suggesting that magma is still being supplied to the dome.

The pyroclastic flow and surge deposits will remain extremely hot for several days. Residents must not approach, handle or attempt to walk on the deposits because of the risk of severe burning.

As a result of the moderate ashfall there is likely to be heavy resuspension of ash in the air today especially if it does not rain. Residents and workers are urged to wear a dust mask.

Further pyroclastic flow activity is expected, and the high level of activity means that these flows could happen at any time and may be of significant size. The current area of activity makes Mosquito Ghaut the most likely pathway, but further flows in Gages, Tuitt's or Tar River are probable as well. The Belham River valley is also extremely dangerous and should not be entered. Access to Plymouth is completely restricted this morning. Zones A and B are extremely dangerous and nobody should go into these areas at all.

The airport is closed today and will remain closed until further notice.

07:00, 27 June 1997 ?? . . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Montserrat-Volcano APn 27/06/1997 00:13
By KEITH GREAVES Associated Press Writer

OLD TOWNE, Montserrat (AP) -- In a village devastated by rivers of super-heated rock and ash, rescuers found the bodies Thursday of the first four fatalities of Montserrat's erupting volcano.

The search continued for 20 people missing since Wednesday's eruption, and scientists warned that the Soufriere Hills volcano could spew further deadly flows of volcanic debris.
Rescuers airlifted 20 people to safety Thursday and 25 a day earlier, officials said. Five people were treated for burns.

The deaths were the first caused by the 3,300-foot volcano, which became active in July 1995 and forced dozens of businesses to close and more than a third of the 11,000 residents to abandon the island.

Wednesday's eruption sent an ash plume nearly 6 miles into the air, blacking out the sun for 20 minutes and coating the abandoned capital, Plymouth, to the west.
The bodies, all adults, were found in a danger zone that the government of this British Caribbean colony had ordered evacuated weeks ago.
Reporters taken near the worst-hit area saw wisps of smoke rising from buildings flattened and charred by the flows, which wiped out a steel and concrete bridge over a nearby ravine.

The villages Trant's and Harris, where the bodies were found, were virtually obliterated. About 20 rescue workers wearing fire protective clothing and carrying gas masks searched inside burned-out wooden homes.
"The villages are covered under feet of ash and whether any bodies will ever be found is another question," said Phil Ellis, the staff officer to the British governor of Montserrat.
Despite the danger, some people fed up with evacuations that began nearly two years ago have refused to move. Others go in daily, to look after homes, cows and goats.
"People shouldn't be in the area but we know some people were," said Ellis.

Police and military sources said they found three victims together in a burned up house. The fourth victim was found in the open, apparently overtaken by one of the pyroclastic flows -- streams of 930-degree gas and rocks that travel up to 200 mph and consume virtually everything in their path.

Meanwhile, Montserrat Volcano Observatory said scientists were urging the government to evacuate Cork Hill, a western village partly in an off-limits zone and home to more than 1,300 people.
One river of volcanic debris rushed dangerously close to the southern end of Montserrat's only runway, forcing the closure of the airport. The only other way to reach Montserrat, located about 250 miles southeast of Puerto Rico, is by boat.
Britain's patrolling warship in the Caribbean, the destroyer HMS Liverpool, was sailing for Montserrat but wasn't expected to arrive until this weekend.
Barbados and France sent helicopters Thursday to join one of the Dutch Royal Navy and a private chopper helping in the rescue mission.

. . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

Via MNI-INFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dear all,

My condolences to any one among the group who has lost family friends or property. Following is the list of missing persons given out by ZJB yesterday just before lunch. The list is incomplete because of the speed in which the last few names were called out. These persons were asked to get in touch with ZJB or EOC if there were near to a phone or if they had gotten out otherwise.

Alicia Joseph and Alister (child) Farms
Alvin Allen Farms
Beryl Grant Farms
Selina Dupree Lees
Ellen Nellie Thomas Harris
Horace Boatswain Farms
Isolyn Lewis Lee Joseph Irish
Melville Cuffy
Bernadine
Sarah Phoebe Williams
Virginia Sutton
Winston Allen Farms

It's my understanding that some of the missing persons have been found however I have not heard any names. Six confirmed dead, 14 missing(BBC) Gov (said?) considering enforced evacuation of 1300 people who may still be at risk (BBC 700am report)
Names of those who died won't be given out untill next of kin informed(ZJB report last night)
That's all for now

Candia
. . . The Electronic Evergreen, courtesy of GEM Radio Network

June 15 - Saba Online