About 1,500 people are being evacuated from an island off the northern coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG) after a nearby volcano erupted, the local Red Cross said on Sunday.

A volcano on the island of Kadovar, located about 24 km (15 miles) north of the Papuan mainland, began erupting on Jan. 5. That prompted the evacuation of 590 people on Kadovar to the nearby island of Blup Blup.

After venting ash for several days, the volcano exploded on Friday, blasting out glowing red rocks and sulphur dioxide, the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory said in a bulletin. The PNG government then decided to evacuate Blup Blup as well because of issues with supplying people on the island along with the danger from the eruption.

The evacuees are being moved to the mainland and the International Red Cross is providing about 87,000 kina ($26,274) in funding to help them, said PNG Red Cross Secretary General Uvenama Rova by telephone from the capital of Port Moresby.

&quot;The people there, as the volcano erupted, they rushed immediately to escape. So they are in immediate need of food, water, shelter and clothing as well,&quot; he said.

In the latest bulletin issued on Sunday, the Observatory said a dome of lava on Kadover was visible in the sea at the base of thick white steam clouds that are rising to 600 metres (1,969 feet) above sea level.

Australia&#39;s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced on twitter that the Australian Government was contributing A$25,000 ($19,775) worth of humanitarian supplies for those affected.

There are no confirmed records of a previous eruption of Kadovar, said Chris Firth, a vulcanologist at Macquarie University, but scientists speculate it could have been one of two &quot;burning islands&quot; mentioned in the journals of a 17th-century English pirate and maritime adventurer, William Dampier.

The evacuees are being moved to the mainland and the International Red Cross is providing about 87,000 kina ($26,274) in funding to help them, said PNG Red Cross Secretary General Uvenama Rova by telephone from the capital of Port Moresby

About 1,500 people are being evacuated from an island off the northern coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG) after a nearby volcano erupted, the local Red Cross said on Sunday. A volcano on the island of Kadovar, located about 24 km (15 miles) north of the Papuan mainland, began erupting on Jan. 5. That prompted the evacuation of 590 people on Kadovar to the nearby island of Blup Blup. After venting ash for several days, the volcano exploded on Friday, blasting out glowing red rocks and sulphur dioxide, the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory said in a bulletin. The PNG government then decided to evacuate Blup Blup as well because of issues with supplying people on the island along with the danger from the eruption. The evacuees are being moved to the mainland and the International Red Cross is providing about 87,000 kina ($26,274) in funding to help them, said PNG Red Cross Secretary General Uvenama Rova by telephone from the capital of Port Moresby. "The people there, as the volcano erupted, they rushed immediately to escape. So they are in immediate need of food, water, shelter and clothing as well," he said. In the latest bulletin issued on Sunday, the Observatory said a dome of lava on Kadover was visible in the sea at the base of thick white steam clouds that are rising to 600 metres (1,969 feet) above sea level. Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced on twitter that the Australian Government was contributing A$25,000 ($19,775) worth of humanitarian supplies for those affected. There are no confirmed records of a previous eruption of Kadovar, said Chris Firth, a vulcanologist at Macquarie University, but scientists speculate it could have been one of two "burning islands" mentioned in the journals of a 17th-century English pirate and maritime adventurer, William Dampier.

People evacuated from Papua New Guinea island after volcano explodes

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-irma-hurricane-maria-follows-in-same-path-20331">&nbsp;Hurricane Maria</a>, the second major storm to hit the Caribbean this month, lashed at the French overseas&nbsp;island&nbsp;of Martinique on Monday (September 18) with violent winds and torrential rains.

The eye of the cyclone passed about 50 km from Martinique, as it began coasting the Caribbean on Monday evening from south to north, generating winds approaching 300 km/h.

An accurate assessment of the damage can only be carried out later, local authorities said. No casualties were reported.

Maria is expected to remain a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-maria-strengthens-into-category-5-storm-bears-down-on-caribbean-20368"> category 4 or 5 </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-maria-strengthens-into-category-5-storm-bears-down-on-caribbean-20368">storm</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/maria-now-a-major-category-3-hurricane-us-weather-forecaster-20366"> </a>on the Saffir-Simpson scale, the Miami-based NHC said.

The French Interior Ministry warned residents of Martinique and Guadeloupe of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/maria-now-a-major-category-3-hurricane-us-weather-forecaster-20366">high risk of flooding</a>, mudslides or landslides and installed measures to protect vital sites such as a desalination plant and a power plant.

The eye of the cyclone passed about 50 km from Martinique, as it began coasting the Caribbean on Monday evening from south to north, generating winds approaching 300 km/h.

Hurricane Maria, the second major storm to hit the Caribbean this month, lashed at the French overseas island of Martinique on Monday (September 18) with violent winds and torrential rains. The eye of the cyclone passed about 50 km from Martinique, as it began coasting the Caribbean on Monday evening from south to north, generating winds approaching 300 km/h. An accurate assessment of the damage can only be carried out later, local authorities said. No casualties were reported. Maria is expected to remain a category 4 or 5 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, the Miami-based NHC said. The French Interior Ministry warned residents of Martinique and Guadeloupe of a high risk of flooding, mudslides or landslides and installed measures to protect vital sites such as a desalination plant and a power plant.

Martinique Island ripped apart by Hurricane Maria

Two people were killed and more than 80 wounded in a grenade attack in Madagascar`s capital Sunday during the country`s national day celebrations, in what the president called &quot;an act of terrorism&quot;. 
 
The blast struck the Mahamasina municipal stadium in Antananarivo at around 1600 GMT, just as a free concert was taking place to mark the nation`s 56th anniversary of independence from France. 
 
President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, who visited the injured victims in hospital, blamed the attack on tensions with political opponents in the Indian Ocean island nation. 
 
&quot;There may be differences of opinion between us, but these acts of destabilisation are unacceptable,&quot; he said in a statement broadcast on national television, describing the attack as &quot;not just a destabilising act but an act of terrorism&quot;. 
 
Pleading for calm, he added: &quot;We will not respond to violence with violence.&quot; 
 
According to the gendarmerie, the attack killed two teenagers aged 16 and 18, while 84 people were injured. 
 
A military parade was held at the stadium earlier in the day. 
 
&quot;The explosion was caused by a grenade,&quot; general Anthony Rakotoarison, head of security and intelligence with the national gendarmerie, told AFP by phone. 
 
&quot;We consider this a terrorist act,&quot; he added. 
 
The last attack to hit Madagascar was in January 2014 when a grenade blast killed a toddler and injured several other people outside the same stadium targeted on Sunday. 
 
No arrests were ever made in connection with that attack and there was no claim of responsibility. 
 
Madagascar, one of the world`s poorest countries, is slowly getting back on its feet after a lengthy period of political instability triggered by the 2009 ouster of president Marc Ravalomanana by Antananarivo`s then-mayor Andry Rajoelina. 
 
Rajoelina led a transitional government until late 2013, when a new election that was designed to resolve complex struggles brought Rajaonarimampianina to power. 
 
International donors, on which the country relies heavily, only recently returned to Madagascar after withdrawing over the 2009 turmoil, and the economy is starting to show the first signs of recovery. 
 
(AFP)

President Hery Rajaonarimampianina blamed the attack on tensions with political opponents in the Indian Ocean island nation.

Two people were killed and more than 80 wounded in a grenade attack in Madagascar`s capital Sunday during the country`s national day celebrations, in what the president called "an act of terrorism". The blast struck the Mahamasina municipal stadium in Antananarivo at around 1600 GMT, just as a free concert was taking place to mark the nation`s 56th anniversary of independence from France. President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, who visited the injured victims in hospital, blamed the attack on tensions with political opponents in the Indian Ocean island nation. "There may be differences of opinion between us, but these acts of destabilisation are unacceptable," he said in a statement broadcast on national television, describing the attack as "not just a destabilising act but an act of terrorism". Pleading for calm, he added: "We will not respond to violence with violence." According to the gendarmerie, the attack killed two teenagers aged 16 and 18, while 84 people were injured. A military parade was held at the stadium earlier in the day. "The explosion was caused by a grenade," general Anthony Rakotoarison, head of security and intelligence with the national gendarmerie, told AFP by phone. "We consider this a terrorist act," he added. The last attack to hit Madagascar was in January 2014 when a grenade blast killed a toddler and injured several other people outside the same stadium targeted on Sunday. No arrests were ever made in connection with that attack and there was no claim of responsibility. Madagascar, one of the world`s poorest countries, is slowly getting back on its feet after a lengthy period of political instability triggered by the 2009 ouster of president Marc Ravalomanana by Antananarivo`s then-mayor Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina led a transitional government until late 2013, when a new election that was designed to resolve complex struggles brought Rajaonarimampianina to power. International donors, on which the country relies heavily, only recently returned to Madagascar after withdrawing over the 2009 turmoil, and the economy is starting to show the first signs of recovery. (AFP)

Two killed, 80 injured in Madagascar terror blast

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