600 flee volcano’s shock eruption

Some 600 residents on a tiny island off Papua New Guinea have been evacuated after a volcano long thought dormant erupted and spewed ash 1.3 miles into the air, officials said.

The 1,640ft-volcano on the northern island of Kadovar, erupted on Friday, the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre said. “Since then, it’s been emitting a continuous plume out to the west-northwest,” it said.