Reuters reports that the island of Grand Comore is in danger of volcanic activity:

In the capital Moroni, thousands slept outside overnight and national radio broadcast appeals for calm and readings from the Koran across the mainly Muslim island.

“When I felt the tremor, I woke my wife and we stayed in the garden,” said resident Abderemane Koudre. “We thought the house was going to collapse. It was frightening.”

In 1903, 17 died from noxious fumes that seeped from cracks, and the last big eruption was in April 2005 when thousands fled in fear of poisonous gas and lava.

Poisonous cracks of noxious fumes? Strange not to hear discussion of masks or filters for every family, since that’s always the talk when WMDs are involved. The article mentions running away, but is that really an option for remote and small islands with few roads?

Photo by me…near Itsandra

Speaking of alerts, the AlertNet adds a much more urgent and realistic tone to news about Mount Karthala, one of the world’s largest active volcanoes:

“My neighbour woke me at two o’clock in the morning and we saw the red glimmer in the sky,” said resident Halima Ahamada.

“A strong smell of burning earth took us by the throats.”

Colonel Ismael Daho, head of the emergency management team for the archipelago, said Grande Comore had been put on red alert.

“We have put all military and interior security forces on alert, in case the population is evacuated,” he said.

In May, the volcano frightened thousands of residents when it bubbled lava and lit up the night sky, but later stabilised.