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MONTSERRAT-VOLCANIC ACTIVITY

                       DHA  INFORMATION REPORT NO. 14
                               8 DECEMBER 1995


  1.  INCREASED VOLCANIC ACTIVITY HAS BEEN REPORTED IN CHANCES PEAK VOLCANO
  WITH  THE  LAVA  DOMES  IN THE SOUTH WEST CRATER CONTINUING TO GROW AND NOW
  REPRESENTING  A  SIGNIFICANT THREAT. THERE HAVE BEEN A SMALL NUMBER OF MINI
  COLLAPSES  WHEN  ROCKS  HAVE  BROKEN  OFF  THE  DOME,  EACH PRODUCING SMALL
  PYROCLASTIC  FLOWS.  MATERIAL  FROM  ONE  OF  THE  DOMES IS NOW BUILDING UP
  AGAINST THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE CRATER WALL WHICH WOULD POSE A MAJOR THREAT
  TO  PLYMOUTH  SHOULD  IT GROW BEYOND THE HEIGHT OF THE CRATER. THE WHOLE OF
  THE  CASTLE'S  PEAK  IS  NOW  UNSTABLE AND SECTIONS OF IT OR THE CRATER RIM
  COULD  COLLAPSE TO THREATEN SETTLEMENTS ON THE LOWER FLANKS OF THE VOLCANO.

  2.  DUE  TO  THE  INSTABILITY  OF  THE  SITUATION,  THE GOVERNOR OF
  MONTSERRAT  DECLARED  ON  1 DECEMBER  1995, A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN
  THE  ISLAND.  PLYMOUTH  AND ALL SURROUNDING AREAS DESIGNATED BY THE
  SCIENTIFIC  TEAM  AS  BEING  IN THE DANGER ZONE WERE EVACUATED BY 2
  DECEMBER  TO  THE  SAFETY  ZONE  IN  THE  NORTH  OF THE ISLAND. THE
  EVACUATION  PROCEEDED  IN  A  ORDERLY  MANNER AND THE APPROXIMATELY
  6,000 EVACUEES WERE HOUSED IN SHELTERS, CHURCH HALLS, PRIVATE HOMES
  AND TENTS.

  3. MONTSERRAT IS A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY AND, AS MENTIONED IN
  PREVIOUS  REPORTS, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN INVOLVED CLOSELY
  WITH THE RESPONSE TO THE  CRISIS OVER THE PAST  FIVE MONTHS.
  
  4.  TO-DATE,  SOME  GBP 2 MILLION (APPROXIMATELY USD 3 MILLION) HAS
  BEEN  SPENT BY THE BRITISH GVT ON CONTINGENCY PLANS AND FURTHER GBP
  1  MILLION  (APPROXIMATELY  USD  1,5 MILLION) COMMITTED, TO PREPARE
  BOTH THE NORTH OF MONTSERRAT AND AN OFF ISLAND EVACUATION CENTRE IN
  ANTIGUA;  TO  PROVIDE  SCIENTIFIC TEAMS FROM THE UK, THE US AND THE
  UNIVERSITY  OF  WEST  INDIES  AND  TO EQUIP MONTSERRAT WITH A LARGE
  RANGE  OF EMERGENCY STORES. THIS SUM EXCLUDES TECHNICAL PROVIDED BY
  THE MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH ARMED FORCES.
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