A volcano erupted Friday for the first time in 40 years on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, prompting thousands of people to evacuate, seismologists said. The blast from the volcano, called Soufriere, sent plumes of ash 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) into the air, the local emergency management agency said. The eruption was confirmed by the seismological research center at the University of the West Indies. str/rle/dw/ft