BRADES, Montserrat (CMC):

A small explosion was reported at the Soufriere Hills Volcano yester-day as officials moved to complete plans to evacuate northwestern districts in the volcano-ravaged country.

Spokesman for the Governor's office, Richard Aspin, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) the explosion which occurred around 5:50 a.m. triggered pyroclastic flows which destroyed some vegetation.

"Some of the material entered the upper regions of the Bellam River Valley and caused burning of vegetation ... these flows extended about 3-4 km."

Ash generated

"A lot of ash generated. Ash clouds went up to about 30,000 feet so ash advisories were put out to air traffic controllers. Luckily, the prevailing winds blew the ash away from populated areas and out to sea," he said.

Aspin explained that the activity was triggered after a piece of the dome broke off.

"Once the ash cleared up, we could see it was not a complete dome collapse, the dome is still there, it was just a piece that fell off," he said.

He said British Governor Deborah Barnes-Jones was preparing to issue the official proclamation yesterday afternoon, ordering the evacuation of an estimated 50 households to whom the volcano poses the greatest threat.

He said evacuation orders will be issued for residents of Water Works Estate, Doctor Woods, Lower Happy Hill, Isles Bay Hill, Isles Bay Plantation and Old Towne.

"The proclamation extending to the exclusive zones is going to be issued a little bit later today and I'm asking people to make sure that they come out of those zones before dusk tonight and then we will put up the road barriers blocking all entries into those exclusive zones.

"We are now visiting every house that has to be excluded. So far the response has been excellent, people know what is happening with the volcano so they are ready to move and, in fact, most have moved voluntarily over the weekend, so, in fact, the house-to-house programme was a huge success," Aspin said.