Blackouts, roars and ashes fall after the eruption of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: “Everything looks like a battlefield”

Conditions worsened on Sunday around Soufriere volcano on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, after solid intercourse rumbles, lightning, a strong ash fall Yes power outages.

The volcano eruption on Friday caused the evacuation of around 16 thousand inhabitants even if some stayed at home. In the capital Kingstown, located 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of the volcano, rumblings were heard.

The National organization for emergency management (NEMO, in English) from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reported on Sunday that everything “looks like a battlefield” And what now “It’s time to learn to live with the ashes.”

“A sad morning with ashes hardened due to the rains today and many houses are still without water and electricity “He pointed this out on his official Twitter account.

Tonight “There was a blackout after another volcano explosion. A large part of the country without light and covered with ashes ”, added NEMO.

Volcanic explosions every hour and a half

The volcano explosions this evening took place every hour and a half and continues to throw columns of ash and smoke into the air which, due to the direction of the wind, They are heading towards the Atlantic Ocean.

The West Indies Center for Seismic Research published a list on its social media with advice to deal with the strong fall of ash and the gases emitted by the volcano.

Among them, they ask people with asthma or respiratory diseases not to go out, not to wear contact lenses, as they can burn the eyes in combination with ashes, and to use a mask and protection. face, as well as packaging objects, such as electronic devices, made of plastic.

On another side, authorities requested caution due to low visibility, by ashes, in neighboring areas.

Scientists have warned that the explosions will likely continue for days or even weeks.

About 16,000 people had to flee their communities with what they were able to pack in suitcases and backpacks. However, there have been no reports of victims of the first eruption or those that followed.

Effects beyond San Vincente

The effects of the La Soufrière eruption were also felt beyond Saint Vincent and the Grenadines cans the ashes reached neighboring Santa Lucia, north of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados, al este.

The regional airline CLAY and the Caribbean airlines they saw forced to cancel flights while Argyle International Airport, located in southern Saint-Vincent, remains closed due to ashfall.

Barbados’ Grantly Adams Airport is scheduled to reopen today, currently under a volcanic ash warning and closed yesterday due to reduced visibility.

Local media reported that “Some houses” collapsed due to the weight of the ashes, in the Sandy Bay area, on the east coast of San Vicente.

Nails 3,000 people are in the more than 70 shelters authorized by the government and a hundred evacuees will arrive in Santa Lucia today.

Several cruise ships are waiting near the coast of the island to take the evacuees to neighboring countries.

Local station Boom Radio 106.9 FM reported yesterday that an elderly person who was staying in a shelter in the so-called red zone, near the volcano, left the same night last night to go home and he was found dead inside his house.

According to his family, death drowned by air laden with ash prevalent in the area as a result of the rash.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with a population of 110,000 people, It had not recorded significant volcanic activity since 1979.

“I wonder when it will calm down”, commented resident Kalique Sutherland.

Elford Lewis, a 56-year-old farmer who evacuated his home on Sunday morning, said the current eruption was worse than that of 1979.

“It’s more serious”said Lewis, who saw the rash decades ago.

An explosive eruption at La Soufrière killed around 1,600 people in 1902.

(With information from EFE and AP)

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