Seismic activity is taking place in St. Vincent that may be related to the La Soufriere volcano according to a statement made via the UWI seismic research centre’s Facebook page.
Ralph Gonsalves Prime Minister of St. Vincent has said via a live address moments ago that residents should be on alert but clarifies that no evacuation order has been given. He urged everyone to be very careful due to the steam and heat that the area is giving off.
All recreational visits to the volcano site have been suspended due to the heat and strong sulphur that could potentially affect individual’s respiratory system. The precautions are being taken in the event that the current activity that is being observed in the area develops into an explosive eruption.
Volcanologists Dr Erouscille Pat Joseph and Professor Richard Robertson of the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (SRC), joined Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves in his address to the nation on Tuesday evening to provide an update on the activity.
“This is what we call an effusive eruption going on at Soufriere, which essentially means magma is coming slowly out of the earth and building a dome,” Robertson said.
The La Soufriere volcano erupted in 1902 hours before the devastating eruption of Mount Pelée in Martinique and as recently as 1971 and 1979.
A video of the live address can be viewed via link below:
https://www.facebook.com/vincycultureconnectionchannel/videos/216017013394424
De volcano warning allu and still no evacuation smh. Wait till it is too late still.. me self done book my flight bbye bye st vincent