Last Update: Sunday, October 8, 2006. 12:03pm (AEST)
Eruption: Favourable winds have kept the bulk of the ash away from
Rabaul. (McLean family)
Winds soften erupting volcano's impact
Favourable winds have saved the tiny town of Rabaul on Papua New
Guinea's New Britain island from the effects of a devastating volcanic
eruption.
Mount Tavurvur, on the outskirts of the former provincial capital
Rabaul, erupted yesterday with a blast that shattered windows up to 12
kilometres away.
Around 200 people in nearby villages were evacuated by boats as the
700-metre peak spewed ash, rock and smoke up to 18 kilometres into the
air.
Local hotel owner Bruce Alexander says if it was not for favourable
winds, the damage could have been far worse than the 1994 eruption that
destroyed much of Rabaul and forced the construction of a new capital,
Kokopo, 20 kilometres away.
"It was an extremely lucky escape because the volume of ash that was
pumping out, if it had landed on any built-up areas, you would have had
flats, buildings, but it just so happens that it went over uninhabited
areas," he said.
'Sonic boom'
Queensland woman Julie McLean, whose family is living 17 kilometres
from the volcano, says the initial eruptions were like sonic booms.
She says it was very frightening, especially for her daughters.
"They were OK until we went into town and saw all the hundreds of
people on the roads and all the cars backed up and we had to have the
windscreen wipers on because the ash was so heavy," she said.
"When we got home, I knew we had to start to pack in case we had to
evacuate and they were very worried about that, and very concerned
about having to leave the animals."
Mrs McLean says many locals feared the eruptions would cause a tidal
wave.
"There was a lot of panic, a lot of local people ran into the hills
thinking the sea would be rising and there would be tidal waves and
that the other volcano which blew in '94 was going to go as well," she
said.
"There was a lot of rumours and a lot of fear ... and a lot of the
local people packed up and ran away."
There have been no deaths or injuries reported.
In other developments:
A Queensland family living 17 kilometres from an exploding volcano in
Papua New Guinea (PNG) says their bags are packed and they are ready to
evacuate if necessary. (Full Story)
A volcanic eruption on the Papua New Guinea island of New Britain has
sent ash plumes 18 kilometres into the air. (Full Story)
.
|
