The mountain produced an explosive eruption in early December, and has continually released plumes ever since.

The latest explosions led to the evacuation of approximately 70 people on Montserrat and sent a considerable amount of ash blowing into nearby Antigua.

Activity increased dramatically on New Year's Day, and was followed by powerful explosions over the following two days.

Vulcanologists at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory said that ash was particularly heavy in the south of the island. Observatory spokesman Nico Fournier said: "The most worrying thing is that we have to clean (away) the ash."

A series of pyroclastic flows of hot rocks, ash and gas cascaded down the flanks of the volcano into the abandoned capital Plymouth on Saturday.

Cecil Matthew, a meteorologist at The Antigua and Barbuda Meteological Services, told the Antigua Sun that Saturday’s ash fall blowing in from Montserrat was considerable.

He said it was due to the high pressure system directing the wind flow toward the island at that time. Evidence of the ash fall was seen on cars and in the skies over Antigua.

Soufriere Hills is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of solidified lava, compacted ash and rocks from earlier eruptions.

A series of major eruptions in 1995 eventually destroyed the island’s capital city, Plymouth. Much of the British territory’s population has since moved to neighboring islands or to the United Kingdom.

Photo: NASA