According to the St. Vincent government, there has been a rise in the number of residences impacted by the eruption of La Soufriere, occurring two years ago.
On April 9, 2021, an enormous eruption occurred in La Soufriere, resulting in the mandatory evacuation of more than 20,000 individuals.
According to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has submitted a formal request for a loan exceeding EC $40 million. The purpose of this loan is to extend aid to individuals whose residences have suffered adverse effects as a result of the volcanic eruptions.
According to Gonsalves, there exists a considerable number of individuals who may not have directly witnessed the initial devastation resulting from the eruption. However, the long-term consequences have gradually inflicted significant hardships.
“I’ve sent off a request to a particular funding institution for 42–43 million dollars EC for a loan of twenty years at two percent interest.”.
“I am optimistic of getting it for housing because, as time goes by, the number of houses affected by Soufriere is increasing. Even with assessment, you don’t see the full impact until months go by, but the wear and tear was accelerated because of Soufriere and other weather conditions, which made the numbers increase,” Gonsalves said.
The La Soufriere volcano, situated in the nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, has exhibited ongoing activity since December 29, 2020. The commencement of volcanic activity was marked by effusive eruptions, the subsequent development of a volcanic dome, alterations to the crater lake, and the occurrence of seismic events. The level of activity had a significant surge on April 8, 2021, precisely at 3:00 a.m. in the local time zone.
On April 8, 2021, at 4:00 p.m., the Prime Minister issued a directive to evacuate the designated high-risk area surrounding the volcano, which encompasses a population of over 20,000 inhabitants. This decision was made in response to the impending threat of a highly volatile eruption. The commencement of evacuations within the orange zone occurred on April 9, coinciding with the onset of active explosive eruptions by the volcano.
