COMOROS: Emergency teams on standy as volcano rumbles

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

JOHANNESBURG, 18 Apr 2005 (IRIN) - Emergency teams were on standby in the Comoros after the Karthala volcano on the island of Grand Comore began spewing ash and smoke at the weekend.

An estimated 10,000 villagers, fearing the release of toxic gas, fled their homes on Sunday on the eastern part of the island - the largest in the Indian Ocean archipelego.

Karthala, which rises 2,440m above sea-level, is known to erupt about every 11 years, and has shown signs of increased activity for the past week. The last eruption was in 1991.

Comoran officials have set up an emergency team to monitor and coordinate a response to the situation, UN Development Programme Resident Representative, Giuseppina Mazza, told IRIN.

"Some of the major UN agencies are currently working together with the government to ensure that all the emergency preparations are in place. However, we still need more technical information, as it is not clear when the eruption will occur, or if it will occur at all," Mazza said.

Meanwhile, the authorities have issued a warning to residents to stay away from the area, to avoid the risk of exposure to dangerous gases.

A mobile command post has been set up to help coordinate on-site assistance operations, while UN agencies have made personnel available to strengthen the government's efforts. The UN Children's Fund has purchased 10 mt of rice for distribution to displaced people.

In its latest report the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that an overflight of the volcano on Monday morning confirmed that lava was still confined within the crater.

OCHA added that the majority of those who had fled their homes had sought refuge with family members in other parts of the island.

"The authorities have dispatched rapid assessment teams to ascertain the number of affected populations as well as their needs. The results from these assessment are not yet known," OCHA said.

Although no one was killed during the last eruption, tens of thousands of villagers left their homes.

Karthala is the southernmost and larger of two "shield volcanoes" - volcanoes with broad, gentle slopes - that form the island of Grand Comore.

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