As the risk of further and larger explosive eruptions from the Soufriere Hills volcano increases, the Montserrat authorities announced at the weekend that Salem - the largest town and heart of the island - was to be evacuated. The decision affects up to 2,000 people and virtually all the small businesses on the island, a British protectorate with a strong Irish heritage in the Caribbean.
It came after scientists from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory presented officials with a new evaluation of the hazards posed by the volcano on Friday.
After a series of eruptions last week which should have relieved pressure in the crater, Soufriere's magma dome (a build-up of molten rock inside the volcano) continues to grow at an alarming rate. This growth is accompanied by sustained earthquake swarms on the mountain - normally a precursor to major activity.
"The scientists say the volcano has outstripped all models for predicting its behaviour," said the governor, Mr Frank Savage. "The forces of nature are greater than our ability to protect the people of Montserrat."
Five days ago the chief minister, Mr Bernard Osborne, told a press conference the government had contingency plans for an evacuation of the island. Critics say that Saturday's move is further proof of poor crisis management.
"The government has moved people less than a mile up the road to areas still potentially at risk. It's total chaos," said one local activist. "We could be facing a repeat of Cork Hill."
Residents of Cork Hill were still in their homes when a pyroclastic flow - a deadly cloud of superheated gas, ash and rocks - tore past their village on June 25th.