The Caribbean island of St Vincent has been rocked by an explosive eruption of La Soufrière volcano, which spewed clouds of ash miles into the air and forced thousands to flee for safety.
The country’s National Emergency Management Organisation (Nemo) confirmed on Twitter that the 4,049-foot volcano had erupted on Friday morning and warned residents to leave the surrounding areas.
La Soufriere Volcano erupted the second Friday in April (Friday April 13)in 1979. Four days shy of it’s anniversary it has again erupted on the second Friday in April (9) in 2021 #LaSoufriereeruption2021 #
— NEMO SVG (@NEMOSVG) April 9, 2021
Pictures shared on social media showed towering plumes of gas and volcanic matter billowing into the sky above the volcano, and heavy ash fall was reported in the surrounding areas.
Evacuation of people in the red and orange zones to safe areas continues in earnest. Heavy ash fall has halted the process somewhat since visibility is extremely poor. NEMO continues to respond to the many challenges of the process #lasoufrierevolcanoeruption2021 #
— NEMO SVG (@NEMOSVG) April 9, 2021
“The majesty that is La Soufrière is awake in all her terrifying glory,” tweeted Heidi Badenock, a lawyer on the island.
Nemo said that the ash plume had reached 20,000ft and was drifting eastwards into the Atlantic Ocean.
Ash plumes up to 20,000 feet headed East. pic.twitter.com/82ZYpYdIhL
— NEMO SVG (@NEMOSVG) April 9, 2021
Erouscilla Joseph, director of the University of the West Indies Seismic Centre, warned that further eruptions could be imminent. “More explosions could occur,” she told the AP.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The prime minister, Ralph Gonsalves, issued a mandatory evacuation order on Thursday for about 1,600 people living in the northern part of the island.
Evacuations continued on Friday, although Nemo tweeted that heavy ash fall had complicated the process as visibility was “extremely poor”.
Footage posted on social media showed evacuees with suitcases and bags trudging through streets carpeted with thick grey ash.
In the coastal town of Barrouallie, about 14km (9 miles) from the volcano, evacuees trudged toward shelters carrying backpacks, duffel bags and shopping bags stuffed with personal belongings after the explosion.
Four cruise ships are expected to reach the island on Friday – two from Royal Caribbean, and two from Carnival Cruise Line – to ferry evacuees to nearby islands or shelters elsewhere in St Vincent.
A third Royal Caribbean ship is expected to arrive in the coming days.
This is so wild I just dunno…????? #LaSoufriere pic.twitter.com/VdIDtduOZJ
— Pray for Vincy????? (@Rachie784) April 9, 2021
Gonsalves said in a press conference that evacuees will need to be vaccinated for Covid-19 before they are allowed to board a cruise ship or are granted temporary refuge in another island.
Islands that have said they would accept evacuees include St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados and Antigua.
“We are one Caribbean family,” said Gonsalves, wiping tears from his eyes. “Together we will do this well.”
A volcanic eruption on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent occurred this morning, and was observed via satellite. Volcanic ash can pose risk to mariners when ashfall reaches the ocean surface. Below animated clockwise from top left are GOES-E vis, IR, SO2, and Ash products. pic.twitter.com/5VbqaFV23j
— NWS OPC (@NWSOPC) April 9, 2021
About 2,000 people are staying at 20 shelters across the island, Gonsalves said.
“Not everything is going to go perfect, but if we all cooperate … we will come through this stronger than ever,” he said. “This is an emergency situation, and everybody understands that.”
Satelitte view of the Ash plume from #Soufrière in Saint Vincent reaching more that 10km in altitude. https://t.co/JBciruDY8W
— CaribVET (@CaribVETnetwork) April 9, 2021
Philmore Mullin, director of Antigua & Barbuda’s National Office of Disaster Services, told AFP the twin island nation was ready to receive evacuees from Saint Vincent.
“I know for sure they will be scared out of their wits. The question is, what will happen after they move? Volcanoes don’t tell you what they are thinking,” said Mullin.
“If it continues to erupt for a long time it will be life-changing for them. And, depending on the type of eruption, they might not be able to get back home for years.”
Saint Vincent’s La Soufrière volcano is erupting, forcing new evacuations on island, Caribbean emergency officials say; ash column more than 6 miles high reported https://t.co/OOFg27cj07
— Factal News (@factal) April 9, 2021
Previous eruptions of La Soufrière
La Soufrière last erupted in 1979, and a previous eruption in 1902 killed about 1,600 people. That occurred shortly before Martinique’s Mt Pelée erupted and destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, killing more than 30,000 people.
Scientists warned in December that La Soufrière had become more active than it had been for years, with monitors reporting tremors, gas emissions, the formation of a new volcanic dome and changes to its crater lake.
VOLCANIC ASH ON THE STREETS OF NEW SANDY BAY VILLAGE IN SAINT VINCENT ???? pic.twitter.com/xjFdtxQuTC
— ?CARIBBEAN CULTURE (@westindimade) April 9, 2021
Mt Pelée is now active once again. In early December, officials in the French Caribbean territory issued a yellow alert due to seismic activity – the first such alert since the volcano last erupted in 1932.
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IF THE VOLCANO doen’t kill you ,THE JAB will,either way the government wants you dead,YOU TAKE their shot and HELL will be your end,”GMO SHOTS MAKE YOU A NON-HUMAN”you will never see the day you’ll get into HEAVEN..your NOT a human anymore..YOU HAVE BECOME SATANS PERSONAL PROPERTY….