The Soufriere Hills Volcano in southern Montserrat erupted on Wednesday, hurling hot rocks half a mile into the air and setting several buildings ablaze in the abandoned capital of Plymouth, according to the Associated Press.
No one was injured or evacuated.
Roderick Stewart, director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, said the explosion was smaller than the one that occurred in late July, when the volcano’s dome partially collapsed and ash spewed more than seven miles into the air.
The Caribbean island’s southern half has been unpopulated since 1995, when the volcano became active and residents moved away. The volcano erupted in 1997, burying the capital of Plymouth and killing 19 people.
Since then, Montserrat has recovered, establishing the northern half of the island as the residential, commercial, tourist and business center. Montserrat also is developing Little Bay, the future capital city, and has opened a new airport and dedicated a 700-seat concert hall.