Alva Review-Courier -

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Seismic activity beneath a Papua New Guinea volcano could mean that a major eruption was imminent, a scientist said Thursday.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from islands surrounding Kadovar Island off the South Pacific nation's north coast since a volcano there began erupting on Jan. 5, spouting ash. Flights nearby have been canceled due to the risk posed by ash plumes and ships were warned to stay away from the island.

Steve Saunders, principal geodetic surveyor at the Rabaul Volcano Observatory in Papua New Guinea, said seismic activity had recently increa...