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PORT VILA, Vanuatu (AP) - Thousands of villagers living in the shadow of a volcano spewing ash and steam on the Vanuatu island of Ambae have been evacuated amid fears of a major eruption, officials said Tuesday.
Mt. Manaro, which cradles a volcanic lake in its crater, began tossing out ash and a towering plume of steam on Nov. 27. Douglas Charlie, a local volcanologist, said the lakebed was in danger of being torn open by the trembling mountain, causing "a gigantic explosion" as the water hit the hot volcanic magma.
The lake also is being forced up toward the rim, sparking fears of a mud flow that could flow toward the villages that surround the mountain.
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