SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico A volcano on Montserrat shot ash some nine
miles (15 kilometers) into the sky Thursday, one of its most
dramatic events since a devastating 1997 eruption that drove
away half the Caribbean island's population. The partial
collapse of the dome in the volcano's crater also unleashed
flows of hot gas and rocks, triggering sirens for the evacuation
of about 20 people from a nearby village. Paul Cole, director of
the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, said it appeared to be the
most material ejected by the volcano in about four years. He
estimated 10 percent to 15 percent of the hardened lava dome had
collapsed. "When we're looking at the lava dome now, there's a
large scoop out of it that's missing," Cole said. The dome has
crumbled several times since the volcano became active in 1995,
and Cole said it is possible activity will settle down as the
dome builds itself up again. He said there is no immediate cause
for concern about more dangerous eruptions. The 1997 eruption
killed 19 people and b