Additional evacuation in Old Towne

An update to last weekend's news, Governor Deborah Barnes Jones has signed the evacuation Order which will force some 50 households to find accommodation elsewhere further north.

Dome growth at the Soufriere Hills volcano and various computer modelling scenarios prepared by scientists at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) prompted officials to warn more households in Old Towne of possible extension of the already extended Evacuation Zone, in the southern half of Montserrat.

A release on Tuesday last week from the Emergency Policy Group (EPG) which is a level up from the Volcano Executive Group said, "Scientists at the MVO briefed the Emergency Policy Group (EPG), informed them that the dome at the Soufriere Hills Volcano is still growing on the western side of the crater."

According to the report, the Scientific Advisory Committee's (SAC) computer modelling has shown that further areas in the present safe zone could be impacted by pyroclastic flows and surges.

The result of the upgraded information, coming after residents on the southern side of the safe zone had attended meetings on the issue, is that "the authorities have determined that further areas in the safe zone would need to be evacuated."

The map, up to weekend, had not been drawn but the release mentioned that residents in the areas south of Bishop Lane, next to Alford Dyett's house, and south of the roundabout in Old Towne "are asked to be prepared to move at short notice."

There were plans for disaster officials to make house to house visits with the affected residents on the weekend.

Meanwhile amidst all the speculation, the release sought to counter and calm residents higher up in Salem. "However, it is unlikely that residents of Salem will be evacuated," the release said.

From Anne-Marie: I am trying to locate an accurate map of the area in question.