Cape Verde orders evacuation after Fogo volcano erupts

PRAIA (Reuters) - A volcano in the Cape Verde archipelago off the coast of West Africa erupted on Sunday morning, the prime minister said, calling for residents to evacuate. A photograph posted on the local RTC TV station website showed a huge plume of smoke rising into the sky, visible from the capital Praia on a neighbouring island. "Things could deteriorate in the coming moments, in the coming hours," Jose Maria Neves in a statement on the government website. "We've called on people to heed the authorities' instructions. People should abandon Cha das Caldeiras," he said referring to a hillside community. It was not immediately clear if there were injuries or deaths following the eruption. The volcano last erupted in 1995, causing minor damage. A larger eruption occurred in 1951. The government planned to send a plane providing assistance to residents, Neves added. The former Portuguese colony is located about 600 km (400 miles) off the coast of Senegal. Fogo's volcanic peak, surrounded by vineyards, is a hiking destination.