The Soufriere Hills volcano that destroyed the island's capital in 1997 shot a cloud of ash more than five miles (eight kilometers) into the sky on Monday, according to The Associated Press. The island's British governor said she would order some homes evacuated because of the likelihood of more activity. The blast, accompanied by increased seismic rumbling, released gases and steam from inside a lava dome that has grown rapidly over the last week, said Dr. Vicky Hards, director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. «I think it was a warning call ... of what it can do,» Hards said. The explosion near sunrise also sent a flow of volcanic material cascading three kilometers (two miles) down the volcano's northwest flank, but did not immediately threaten any of the British Caribbean island's 5,000 inhabitants, Hards said. Sirens alerted people to listen to the radio for updates.
