The Caribbean Island Of St Vincent Rocked By New Explosive Eruptions At La Soufriere On Monday
(By Ernesto Cooke) – Another large explosive eruption has occurred at the La Soufriere volcano on the Caribbean island of St Vincent on Monday 12th April.
The eruption was so powerful it was captured by Martinique radar at approximately 4.15 am.
According to NEMO, the islands’ disaster agency, the explosion caused the dome to collapse, sending pyroclastic flows along the valleys on the island’s eastern and western corridors.
On Monday morning, the island’s government said that all essential workers, including those at the seaports, were to report to work while persons assigned to shelters were asked to continue to assist.
All other employees of the Central Government and State enterprises were told to remain at home until further notice.
On Sunday, Geologist Richard Robertson said the instruments show that La Soufriere’s activity is not waning; and predicted that a 1902 eruption was imminent.
“The ongoing activity and pattern are similar to the 1902 eruption, it means that the eruptions will cause more damage and destruction, but it also means that you have a safe place in the south of the country”, Robertson said.
New satellite imagery taken on April 10 2021, shows what one volcanologist described as a new vent at St Vincent’s La Soufriere volcano.
According to MTU volcanologist, Dr Simon Carn says the images were captured by Capella Space SAR satellites.
In a Tweet, Carn said; “Wow, amazing view of morphological change in the La Soufrière crater from Capellaspace satellite radar on April 10, Looks like the recent eruptive activity has opened up a large new vent, and the 1979 and 2020-21 lava domes are gone or buried”.
Some 20,000 persons have been evacuated from the Red Zone, with 3178 in shelter and others at families and friends in the safe zone.
The island’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves made an urgent last-minute call on Monday morning for any civilian remaining in the Red Zone to get out as more explosions are expected throughout the day.
We will update
