THE VOLCANIC EXPLANATION:
Over the last 72 hours there have been 6 explosive events at the Soufriere Hills Volcano all have which have sent ash clouds into the atmosphere to heights of at least 10,000 feet in each case. Ash has fallen over a wide area of the island and conditions are extremely ashy and everyone is urged to wear their dust masks. Some pumice has also fallen in clasps but mainly in the exclusion zone.
Pyroclastic flows have mainly gone to the east and some have gone into Gages and the Farrell's Plain resulting in some material reaching the Belham Valley. All areas close to the valley are being evacuated if they have not already been cleared.
Seismic activity (hybrid earthquakes) has fallen into a regular ten hour pattern.
MONTSERRAT TO TAKE PART IN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SUMMIT:
Two young people, yet to be named, will next month take part in the Commonwealth Youth Forum to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Forum will run alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and will bring together 200 youths to voice their hopes and concerns, exchange experiences and ideas, acquire knowledge and skills about issues which affect them and to develop action plans and recommendations for the Commonwealth in the future. The youths will spend a total of three weeks in Britain.
MORE SINGLE PARENTS TO BE ASSISTED:
The National Youth Council will tomorrow (Thursday) assist both employed and unemployed persons registered under their Single Parents Assistance Project who did not receive supplies earlier in the week. In a press release, Patricia Farrell the co-ordinator of the project, asked everyone who falls into the category to report to the Brades Pentechostal Church between the hours of 4 pm and 6.30 pm (tomorrow).
PHASED VOLUNTARY OVERSEAS EVACUATION SCHEME:
It was announced this morning that over 3000 persons have now registered for the phased voluntary overseas evacuation scheme. Some 800 persons have left on the scheme since it was introduced last month.
The Statistics Department reported that the population of Montserrat as of September 1st 1997 was 5300.
FIRST PHASE OF HOUSING SCHEME NEARS COMPLETION:
The houses being built by Brown & Root on land off Davy Hill and comprising of 55 units are nearing completion and should be ready for occupation on October 19th. The second phase of the project will then commence in land at Look Out where access roads are already being put in.
FUEL STOCKS HIGH:
More gas and diesel stocks are being delivered to the island today to keep the stocks on island at high levels. LPG for cooking is expected on island from Nevis by tomorrow, commercial distribution will begin almost immediately it arrives.
EVACUATION CONTINUES:
The evacuation of all areas in the recently increased exclusion zone continues, it is hoped that everyone will be out of the zone by Saturday coming (September 27). The new school at Look Out has had accommodation increased so that more persons can find shelter there.
MORE TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
The final listing of Government offices telephone numbers is:
The EOC / ESU in St Johns 491 7166 The Fire Brigade Base Station at Brades 491 6214 The Governor's Office, General Office 491 2688 P.W.D. Government Workshop 491 4924 Police General Office 491 5255 Royal Montserrat Defence Force Base 491 7147
NEW RISK MAP:
E mail subscribers can send their POSTAL ADDRESS via E mail to: monmedia@candw.ag and we will send you via airmail a copy of the new risk map dated September 1997.
PHOTOS OF DAMAGED PROPERTY AT THE LIBRARY:
The Public Library (telephone 491 4706) now situated in Woodlands has a display of photographs of damaged areas of Montserrat taken from the air which the public are invited to view. Library opening hours are Monday to Friday (9 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm).
AMO PRESS RELEASE:
The Aid Management Office (AMO) has issued the following press release: "We are pleased to announce that work has started on the rehabilitation of the St Johns Hospital. The local contracting firm Galloway Construction has been retained as lead contractors of this project.
Work on the programme commenced on Monday September 22, and phase one of the programme which includes restoration of the main ward area of the existing facility, is expected to be completed by the end of March 1998.
Because the project involves work on an occupied health facility, alternative and suitable accommodation will be constructed into which patients can be decanted while the main part of the work is carried out.
Meanwhile, thirty five containers ordered by the AMO in response to a request from the Montserrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be arriving on island this week. These containers are intended for use as storage for moveable assets presently located in the exclusion zone.
The master plan for the north of Montserrat is being developed. The lead consultant, Jane Arnot has arrived on Montserrat and will over the next twelve weeks direct the process of developing the physical plan for the development of the safe north, in collaboration with local planning agencies and regional consultants.
The AMO has initiated action on several recent decisions made at Ministerial level in Montserrat and London. The sustainable development plan which is being led by the Development Unit is receiving requested inputs from the AMO, and the recently agreed soft loan mortgage scheme is being developed as rapidly as possible in conjunction with the Bank of Montserrat and the Development Unit. The Small Enterprise Rehabilitation Project is also in the process of being developed and is expected to be operational before the end of October. (END)
More information tomorrow................................
Government Information Service