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La Soufriere Volcano began erupting explosively on April 9. (Photo courtesy University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre) Social Share
The UWI St Augustine – Experts at The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC) have advised that La Soufrière volcano in St Vincent and the Grenadines remains dangerous despite pauses in explosive activity.
During a virtual press conference hosted on Wednesday, April 21, Rod Stewart, volcano-seismologist from the UWI-SRC/Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) said “although it is easy to identify the start of eruptions, conclusively saying when eruptions are over, often proves more difficult”.
The UWI-SRC and Vincentian authorities continue to monitor developments at the volcano, as they have been since the onset of heightened activity in December 2020, which entered an explosive phase on April 9, 2021.
âThis crisis comes at the most difficult time, as the world is grappling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and ahead of the hurricane season,â UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.
Residents with the means to leave have encountered trouble with airports closed on the island. The main airport in Barbados, about 100 miles east of St. Vincent, opened Wednesday after being shut down for almost a week. (See our initial coverage of the eruption and airport closures here.)
Scientists donât expect any relief in the near future for St. Vincent. Richard Robinson, who is leading the team at the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center, said another explosion could be imminent.
Say it again, Professor Social Share This past Sunday, there was an explosive eruption at La Soufriere, the 30th such event since the volcano moved into the present phase of seismic activity on April 9. Just hours before that, at least three young men were at its summit, despite such visits being strictly prohibited.
One of the three youths has been a regular on the mountain, filming his outings and posting them to social media for the purpose of attracting likes and followers and feeding his reckless attention-seeking habit.
He has been given the moniker ‘Lava Man’ for obvious reasons and despite being warned by many about the extreme danger of being on the mountain at this time, the young man continues his visits, seemingly unconcerned about the risk to his life and limb.
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The National Emergency Management Organisation of St Vincent and the Grenadines reported a short while ago on its Facebook Page that the La Soufriere Volcano erupted explosively again today. Explosive eruptions began on April 9.
Additionally, the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, which is based in Trinidad, said that explosions “can happen without warning during the ongoing eruption”.
A brief bulletin on the Centre’s Facebok Page today said the explosion had “now risen to above 8km into the atmosphere”.
“Most of the material seems to be going out towards the sea. We continue to monitor and will update accordingly,” UWI-SRC said.
St. Vincent’s leader appeals for aid amid volcano eruption, calls it the ‘midnight hour of our need’
Updated Apr 20, 2021;
Posted Apr 20, 2021
French military personnel unloads aid parcels from the Floreal class French frigate Ventose on the island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, on April 14, 2021. (FANNY MARSOT/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)TNS
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With one-third of his eastern Caribbean nation transformed turned into “a relative wasteland” from the erupting La Soufrière volcano, the prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday appealed to the international community for help with his country’s recovery.
“It’s an extraordinary, existential challenge that is facing us,” Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said.