1.
LV VOLCANO.
0.03

2.
CU BOILING.
0.08

3.
LV. PEOPLE ON RIM - WATCHING.
0.11

4.
CU BOILING.
0.14

5.
MCU VOLCANO.
0.19

6.
MV.PAN..ASH-COVERED LAND.
0.32

7.
GV MEN DRIVE CATTLE.
0.35

8.
MV DITTO.
0.38

9.
GV STREET SCENE SAN JOSE
0.41

10.
MV BOY WITH GOGGLES.
0.44

11.
MCV...ASHES ON CAR.
0.51

12.
MV PEOPLE HOLD HANDKERCHIEFS TO FACE.
0.57



Initials IT/N/CR/GH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: WHILE WORLD ATTENTION HAS BEEN CENTRED ON THE VOLCANIC DISASTER IN BALI, A LESS PUBLICIZED ERUPTION HAS BEEN CAUSING WIDESPREAD DISTRESS IN COSTA RICA.THERE THE VOLCANO IRAZU, 11,000 FEET HIGH, HAS EXPLODED INTO LIFE AGAIN, SPREADING A THICK LAYER OF ACRID ASH ACROSS THE COUNTRYSIDE AND INTO THE CAPITAL, SAN JOSE, 35 MILES AWAY.

FOR TWO WEEKS IRAZU HAS BEEN ROARING FIERCELY, BILLOWING CLOUDS OF SMOKE, AND THROWING STONES A QUARTER OF A MILE UP AND OUT.ADVENTUROUS SIGHTSEERS HAVE STOOD NEAR THE CRATER LIP TO WATCH THE SPECTACLE BESIDE AN OBSERVATION SHACK BATTERED TO PIECES IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE ERUPTION.

STRONG WINDS WHIPPED THE VOLCANIC ASH OVER THE COUNTRY, DRIVING MEN AND CATTLE FROM THE HIGH LAND AND CAUSING ALARM IN THE CAPITAL ITSELF.THE PRESIDENT OF COSTA RICA TOLD HIS PEOPLE THE DUST WAS NOT POISONOUS, BUT THEY WENT THROUGH THE STREETS COVERING THEIR MOUTHS WITH HANDKERCHIEFS; SOME EVEN WEARING GOGGLES.FARMERS COMPLAINED THE DUST HAD MADE THEIR CATTLE SICK.

SO FAR, NO ONE HAS BEEN KILLED.BUT COSTA RICANS ARE APPREHENSIVE, RECALLING THAT IRAZU BEHAVED MUCH THE SAME WAY FIFTY YEARS AGO BEFORE ERUPTING VIOLENTLY AND CAUSING GREAT DESTRUCTION AND DEATH.